


This Disaster That Is Us

by BloodBornOleander



Series: Laying Beneath The Sun With Clouds Above My Head [1]
Category: Harry Potter - Fandom, Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Crossover, F/M, Harry Potter - Freeform, How Do I Tag, I Ship It, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Katekyo Hitman Reborn - Freeform, M/M, Please read, Reborn follows him, Reborn/skull - Freeform, Skull goes to teach at Hogwarts, Skull is a wizard, goddamnit Reborn, lord help, lots more characters, skullisateacher, things about to go shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-09-30 13:34:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 32,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20447954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodBornOleander/pseuds/BloodBornOleander
Summary: Skull de Mort. Hogwarts. Teacher’s assistant. Reborn follows. BL. Triwizard Tournament.Need I say more?[Complete!]Disclaimer: neither Harry Potter nor Katekyo Hitman Reborn belongs to me... if it did, there’d be a lot more yaoi.





	1. An owl, a letter, and a stuntman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A owl appears, poops on his floor, drops a letter on his head, and then flys back out.
> 
> The Acrobaleno don’t know what to say.

OK. So, in hindsight, he really should have closed the window before going to bed. Maybe then the owl couldn’t have come in and pooped on his floor, screeched in his ear, before promptly dumping a letter on his head and flying out. Skull swore after it loudly, then scowled at the letter on his bed. He knew that seal... He sighed in resignation and grabbed the letter, before breaking the seal and opening it. He read the letter in growing annoyance.

_Skull,_

_I apologise if the owl came at an inconvenient time, but this is of the utmost importance. I need to call in that favour you owe me. As you very well _don’t _know, this is Harry Potter’s fourth year at Hogwarts. This year is also the year of the Triwizard Tournament._

_I have a feeling something will go wrong. I need you to help me guard him. You can’t protest. I’ve already informed the Headmaster of my decision. School starts on the 1st of September. You will be the DADA teacher’s teaching assistant. Though, most people may just see you as a guard to make sure said teacher doesn’t blow a student up._

_Well wishes, _ _Severus Snape_

Skull growled in annoyance, running a hand through his purple hair. Honestly, he looked like a 18 year old punk reject and Severus wanted him to be a _teacher’s assistant?_ Yes, a 18 year old. It seemed even Verde had his limits. Then it struck him.

”Ah,” he said out loud. “Shit. How the hell am I gonna get away from the rest of the Acrobaleno?”

He stared at the letter in his hand, then decided the best choice of action was to simply either

a) run away without telling them

or b) tell them the truth and possibly get six tag-a-longs for his ‘trip’.

After a while of careful consideration, he chose option b. Because if he ran off without anyone knowing where he was going, he’d most likely cause World War III as the other ex-Acrobaleno ran around in a frantic worry in case he’d been kidnapped or killed. Because yes, while it may not seem so, that one time Skull actually got kidnapped they almost destroyed four entire mafias bases. They only annihilated three. So proof that they do like him! That and he’d worry Yuni, Tsuna and Enma too. Possibly.

Skull groaned and fell onto his bed, Oodako looked at him from his rank in worry. Skull gave him a thumbs up. Tomorrow they had the monthly meet up. He’d tell them then.

** _ The next day... _ **

Skull pulled up at the restaurant and entered, ignoring the line and complaints when nobody stopped him. It’d been Reborn’s turn to choose the location, and trust the Hitman to make it showy and expensive. Fon spotted Skull first and waved him over, Skull grinned and sat down next to him.

”Hello Skull,” Fon greeted.

”Hello Fon-senpai!” Skull chirped back. Reborn glanced at him, and frowned.

”You’re hiding something.”

...right. Mind reader. Well, not really but, meh. Skull laughed.

”Was it really that obvious?” he asked, and Lal rolled her eyes.

”Stop avoiding the subject and spit it out,” she demanded. Skull fidgeted nervously. Was this really a good idea? But the others had caught onto something so...

”I’m gonna be going poof for a while on the 1st of September,” he blurted out, and the entire table froze.

”...what?” Viper asked.

”So uh, I got offered this teaching position, and uh, I accepted, kinda. The thing is, um, this school kinda... doesn’t exist...?” Skull tried.

”That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever,” Verde said flatly.

”It’samagicschoolandmysortoffriendneededmyhelpinguardingthiskidandhedidntgive-“

”Skull!” Fon interrupted. “Speak slower, no one can understand you. We promise we won’t make a fuss, or try to at least, okay?”

Skull took a deep breath and started over again.

”So, um, this school isn’t really normal, per say. It’s a, uh, magic school. For witches and wizards,” he mumbled, sinking into his seat.

Viper, however, suddenly sat up in their seat and tensed visibly.

”You... you’re a wizard?” they hissed, and Skull blinked.

”...wait... are you...?” he began to ask, but Viper shook their head.

”Squib.”

Skull gave a relieved sigh of breath.

”Oh good, this makes things a bit easier,” he mumbled. Then he noticed the others staring at him, and Skull could just _see _the [loading... loading... loading... not loading... glitching... Error 404. File Not Found] on Verde’s face.

”Are you guys... ok?” Skull asked hesitantly. That got them out of it.

”Lackey...” Reborn said in a dangerous voice, “is this a joke?”

Skull withered on the spot, shaking his head vigorously.

”No! I swear! Hell, see, even Viper knows of this world!”

”World?” Lal asked. “You mean there’s an entire _world _of fantasy out there?”

”...yesss?”

”Right,” Verde snapped. “From the very beginning. Go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is BL, and quite possibly slow burn. Maybe smut somewhere. The chapters WILL get longer. Quite possibly.


	2. A goddamn explanation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ex-Acrobaleno get a goddamn explanation from our friendly neighbourhood stuntman.

“So, see, uh, where to start....” Skull began.

”The beginning would be good,” Lal said drily.

Skull nodded weakly as the others looked at him expectantly. Viper had even paused in counting their money. Skull took a breath and started to spill.

”OK, so, I’m a wizard. And just before you ask, no, not that kind of wizard in fairytales that kidnap girls and stuff. I mean a real life, spell casting wizard from a society of wizards. See, all witches and wizards, once they turn eleven, have to go to a school to train them in their magic. Because if they’re not trained... things get nasty really quickly. Take the medieval witch trials for example.

”Anyway. So once I turned 11, I went to Hogwarts. I made friends. Pulled pranks. Got top grades. The usual for the crazy genius. But uh, things started to go downhill pretty quickly in my fifth year. Long story short, as soon as I graduated I took my stuff and ran. Changed my looks, name and personality and boom. Skull de Mort was born.

”But I ran into a year mate one time, after the curse, and I found out people were looking for me. We talked, and then some witches and wizards found us talking. I didn’t... I didn’t have my wand with me at the time, and my magic was limited in my Acrobaleno form. The year mate could’ve helped the others bring me down. Could have claimed the money from my bounty. But he didn’t. He helped me take down those bastards and then helped me fake my death.

”After that, we parted ways, but not before I told him I owed him. He shrugged, we went our own ways. The thing is, about... 14 years ago, this... _madman_ went to kill a kid. A baby barely even a year old. This madman... he had delusions of making the world the wizards’ world.”

At this, Viper’s head snapped up, and Skull could just feel them staring at him.

”...Voldemort,” they whispered softly, and Skull nodded, noting the fact that Viper wasn’t afraid of saying the man’s name.

”Sorry,” Lal interrupted, hitting Colonello who was struggling to keep his laughter in. “Did you just say Vol_demort_?”

Skull grimaced and said, “Uh... yea. See, everyone was terrified of him. Then I thought, fuck this, I’m not scared of some guy who’s name rhymes with _mouldy-shorts_, so I took part of his name, got the name ‘Skull’ from his insignia, and made it into my own.”

Viper’s mouth twitched upwards a little, but that was it. The others though, they were either openly smirking or nodding in approval. Skull cleared his throat.

”Right, anyway. Back to the topic at hand. There was this prophecy or something containing the madman’s downfall and stuff. Voldemort decided ‘nope’ and went to kill the guy who was supposed to kill him when said saviour was still a itty bitty baby. To make things simple; the killing spell backfired. Voldemort went poof. But the baby was left an orphan.

”But, when the kid turned eleven he was sent a letter, like all other wizards. And bam, Hogwarts for you kiddo. At least, that’s what I think happened. I haven’t really been in contact with the wizard in world for a long time.

”So, the thing is now, the kid is in his fourth year at Hogwarts, and the year mate I told you about called in his favour. He has a bad feeling about this year. Something to do with Triwizard Tournament, which is a tournament with three school competing for a prize. It’s stupid, really. But pretty wicked at the same time. And... I have to go be a teacher’s assistant from... the first of September to the... last week of June. Yea.”

Skull nodded. “I think that’s it.”

There was a moment of silence as everyone digested his words. Then Fon coughed.

”Well, what I want to know is what subject you’ll be assisting in,” he said, and there were mourners of agreement around the table.

”Oh... Defence Against the Dark Arts, or DADA for short,” Skull said, shrugging. “I was pretty adept at duels. Pretty much beat my teacher to the ground when we went up against each other.”

”Which house?” Viper asked, much to the confusion of others.

”In Hogwarts students are divided into four houses,” Skull explained. “There’s a magical singing hat that looks into your brain and sorts you into a house. There’s Slytherin, where the ‘ambitious’ people go. But a lot of people think they’re the ‘evil’ house because the madman was in that house. Of course, people also don’t like them because most think purebloods, wizards and witches born from witches and wizards, are superior to muggle-borns- witches and wizards born from non-witches and wizards.

”There’s Hufflepuff, where the loyal ones go. They’re seen as the left overs and the no-goods, but I’m telling you, they’re not. Most of the Aurors, they’re like the magical policemen, are made of former Hufflepuff students.

”Then there’s Gryffindor, where the brave ones go. But uh, some of them are so brave that’s its honestly rather stupid. Like they say; there’s a fine line between bravery and stupidity. A lot of Gryffindors cross that line a lot. Kind of egoistical and the jocks of the school.

”Finally there’s the Ravenclaws. The smart lot. Top grades in theory, but sort of... lacking in the actual practical lessons. A lot of people find them annoying. But they’re the people you want on your side in a battle. Always one step ahead of their enemies.

”As for your question, Viper, I was a Hufflepuff. Though the Sorting Hat had a really hard time deciding me between Hufflepuff and Slytherin!” Skull said laughing. “In the end, it just gave me a quiz to solve. It got me in Hufflepuff. Best house ever I say! And I bet I broke the record for the longest time of just sitting on that stool for the Hat to sort me!”

Viper nodded slowly. Then Colonello suddenly slammed his hand down onto the table.

”Wait! How come you never told us before, kora?!” he yelled.

”The same reason you can’t tell civilians about the mafia,” Skull said.

Verde still looked sceptical, but apart from him the others seemed to be warming up to the idea.

”What about proof then? Do you have proof that ‘magic’ honestly exists?” Verde asked. Skull grinned and put his hand on the table.

”Watch,” he said. “I’m a metamorphagus. It means I’m someone can change my appearance at will without the help of a wand or potion.”

All eyes turned to his hand and Skull concentrated briefly. His hand turned bright pink and Reborn swore softly as his nails turned into sharp claws and purple spotted pink fur began to grow. Skull let them marvel over it for a few seconds, and then turned it back.

”...it’s not an illusion?” Verde asked; Skull rolled his eyes.

”Did you sense any Mist Flames?”

Verde grudgingly went silent, and Fon cleared his throat.

”However, I do believe Skull told us this because, in his own words, he ‘would be going poof’ for a while,” he said in amusement.

”One of us is going with you,” Lal ordered immediately. Skull frowned, sinking in his seat. 

“How did I know you’d say that?” he asked no one in particular. Although, he really should be grateful that only one would be going with him, not all six of them. “That’s fine, that’s with me.”

Skull shook out the jitters in his hand. “So who’s coming with me?”

There was silence. And then seven hands shot up into the air, then the argument started. Skull cursed softly in his head. Of course, he should have expected this.

“Can’t we all just go?” Fon pointed out.

”I, uh, took the liberty of contacting the year mate, saying only one of you would be coming,” Skull admitted as all eyes turned to him. There was a collective groan.

Then Reborn slammed a hand down on the table.

”Its either me of Fon,” he said darkly, and held up a hand as people began to protest. “Lal and Colonello need to plan their official wedding, which will be taking place in just a few months. So they need to stick together. Viper, Mammon, whatever, is part of Varia. I doubt they’d take kindly to them taking a year long break. Verde... I think we all agreed a few years back on not letting him near Skull-”

”I said sorry,” Verde muttered under his breath, and Reborn continued on like he hadn’t heard the scientist.

”-so it’s either me or Fon.”

Fon smiled, and shook his head.

”Reborn can go. I now realise I have, ah, a few things to do,” he said.

There was silence and everyone looked at Skull, who had his smile frozen on his face. He was... abnormally pale.

”...Skull? Are you alright, kora?” Colonello asked.

** _ Meanwhile in Skull’s brain... _ **

Fuck. Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck. I’m gonna be alone with Reborn-senpai for a whole year. Yessssssss. Thank you Fon-senpai. Wait. Oh shit. Does Fon know. Holy cow. Ohmygod. Yessss. Notice me Reborn-senpaiiiiiiii!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all those that left kudos- thank you!  
To all those that commented- thank you too!  
To all those that commented AND left kudos- aww, I love you guys!
> 
> Also, Yuni will not be appearing in this story. I just... don’t like her. Just a gut emotion.  
And yes. FON KNOWS. The rest... not so much. Reborn has had a bit of a crush no Skull for a while and is in denial. Fon just found his subtle pining amusing, until Reborn almost killed someone who flirted with Skull. Said someone was a rather important person too...
> 
> And Skull... likes Reborn too but... Skull+emotions=utter disaster.


	3. Introduction to the wizarding world

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reborn gets stunned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven’t read Harry Potter for a while now... and I’m too lazy to go back and check. So sorry if I make a few mistakes.

“-so like, I was just wondering if you could... you know... be less.... chaotic?” Skull asked carefully.

Reborn raised an eyebrow at the purple haired teen as the two of them walked through the streets of London.

”...less chaotic?” Reborn asked in amusement. Skull flailed his arms, Oodako, who was atop Skull’s head, did the with his tentacles.

”I mean, like, well,” Skull stuttered around for words, and Reborn made an amused sound.

”Very well, I shall do my best to be... less chaotic,” Reborn said, and Skull gave a relieved sigh.

”Oh, we’re here,” Skull hummed. Then he promptly veered off the streets and... disappeared. Reborn froze, looking around. Then Skull reappeared.

”What are you waiting for Senpai? Wait... ah.”

A look of realisation appeared on his face, and he face palmed, groaning. “How could I forget...? Senpai, this might sound like an odd request, but please close your eyes and grab onto me.”

Reborn raised a sceptical eyebrow at the purple haired ex-Acrobaleno.

”Excuse me?” he asked.

”I know, it sounds weird,” Skull grimaced. “But, uh, you’re a muggle. Not a wizard or witch of vampire or- well, you get the idea. So uh, there’s a bunch of anti-muggle charms and spells around the entrance to Diagon Alley. You might get a little... sick, if you just stride into the place.”

Reborn looked at the abnormally serious Skull, then sighed and closed his eyes, reaching out a hand and grabbed Skull’s hand.

”Can we get going now?” Reborn asked in irritation.

”Yes!” Skull squeaked, and Reborn stumbled a little as he was pulled gently towards his left. They walked for a bit, and Reborn suddenly felt a wave of warmth, and Skull cleared his throat. “Uh, we’re here, Reborn-Senpai.”

Reborn opened his eyes and looked around. The place... didn’t look very impressive. Until he noticed the subtly little quirks. The odd picture that moved and smiled. A women mixing her tea with a spoon without touching said spoon. The newspaper being read by a man that had strange advertisements selling broomsticks and wands.

He was almost too absorbed in observing the strangeness he almost didn’t notice the barkeeper heading towards them. Almost. The barkeeper gave a toothless grin.

”Hello, hello, table for two?” he asked.

”Ah, no,” Skull said. “We need to get to Diagon Alley please, Tom.”

Tom nodded, grinning.

”Nice to see young fella’s like you unashamed of your sexuality,” he said, winking.

Reborn blinked, then glanced down at his and Skull’s still entwined hands. Skull noticed too and flushed a deep, bright red.

”No!” he squeaked, quickly letting go. “No- um, that’s not- oh Merlin, this is a misunderstanding!”

Tom chuckled, nodding.

”Course it is. Anyway, you know where to go?” he asked. Skull nodded, still flushed red in embarrassment.

”Come on Senpai,” Skull mumbled, hurrying away quickly. Reborn glanced at the old barkeeper, before following the flustered teen, and shoving what’d happened into the back of his mind... as well as the strange feeling that’d emerged when Skull had denied the misunderstanding. 

They arrived at a bar cellar, and Reborn sighed.

”If I have to close my eyes again-”

”No!” Skull yelped, shaking his head vigorously. “No, hold on, ok? Just, ah, found it.”

Reborn watched as Skull frowned at the wall in front of him. Reborn, Leon and Oodako watched curiously as Skull mumbled something to himself, and began tapping bricks. “Mm, from the trash can... three up... two across... and there.”

Skull stepped back and Reborn watched with wide eyes, that he quickly got rid of, as the walls crumbled and seemed to fold into itself, revealing a bustling place full of colour and people. Skull grinned at Reborn’s momentary awe. “Welcome, Senpai! To Diagon Alley!”

_ **Some time later...** _

Skull hummed to himself as he and Reborn and their familiars entered the dusty old shop.

”Hello!” he called loudly, and three people jumped, turning to the newcomers. The people who’d come in first nodded at the old man, who appeared to be the owner of the shop, and exited quickly. The old man smiled.

”Hello, here for a new wand?” he asked. Skull hummed and nodded. “Mind, who are you young man? I don’t recall selling you your wand,” the man said. Skull grinned.

”Well, technically you didn’t. I consider myself someone else from my younger self. But my first wand broke in a, ah, accident.”

”I see, and do you remember the wand’s components? It may make this easier.”

”Eh, yeah. But seeing as I’ve changed, I don’t think it’ll help much.”

”Let’s hear it first.”

Skull nodded and glanced at Reborn and said, “You might want to take a seat, Senpai. Last time I came here, it took my about half an hour to find my first wand.”

Reborn raised an eyebrow, but nodded and sat down on a creaking chair all the same. Skull turned back to Ollivander. “Right, my first wand... to my memory was... 10 inches, pretty flexible. Albus wood. Unicorn core.”

Ollivander stared at Skull for a while, then nodded, smiling.

”Ah, I see. You’re him, aren’t you? Have you found what you’re looking for?” he asked softly. Skull gave the man a smile, scratching Oodako who was atop his head.

”Yes, I think I have.”

They exchanged smiles, which Reborn found rather infuriating. Ollivander clapped his hands once loudly.

”I think I have just the wand for you,” he said and bustled off somewhere.

...it turned out he didn’t. In the end, there were eight broken wands piled in the corner, half the counter had been blown up, several lights had been busted, and Reborn was now on his feet, warily eyeing the Cloud. Skull grimaced.

”Sorry,” he said and Ollivander shook his head

”No, no... I’m sure there’s a wand out there somewhere...” he said, looking close to crying. Then an idea seemed to hit him. “Oh! Wait here a moment.”

He want off again and Skull and Reborn waited, and then Ollivander came back, holding a dusty, dark purple box. However, the old man held the thin box warily, like it could combust at any given moment. Skull watched him with curiosity.

”Mr. Ollivander? Are you alright?” Skull asked.

”Ah, I’m fine. It’s just... this wand inside was more of a... experiment than anything. Something I made back in my prime days out of curiosity. Here...”

Ollivander held out the wand to Skull carefully, looking at him warily. “Eleven inches,” Ollivander stated. “The core is from the feather of a Feng Huang, or in Japanese; Hou-ou. Very rigid. And the wood...”

Ollivander grimaced. “When I was younger I wondered what would happen if I combined different woods together. This was the result. The wood is combined of ebony, ash, cedar and dogwood.”

Skull hesitated for a second, and then grabbed the handle of the wood. Purple flames flickered and the room darkened. Reborn looked around warily, and Ollivander gaped in awe. Then the moment ended and Skull set the wand back into its box.

”Well, I think I found my wand,” Skull said, his voice rather high. “How much do I owe you?”

_ **Even later...** _

Skull slumped into his chair, groaning as he put his feet up onto the table.

”Thank Merlin that’s over,” he sighed. Reborn glanced at him.

You were the one dragging me around everywhere,” he pointed out, and Skull pouted.

”Details,” he humphed. Reborn resisted the urge to reach out and ruffle the teens hair, and instead cleared his throat.

”So where are we supposed to go tomorrow?” he asked, and Skull hummed.

”Well, the letter said nothing about where we were said to go... so, I think we should just go to Kings Cross Station,” he said.

”...Kings Cross Station? Why?”

”Well, Platform 9 and 3/4 is there of course! Ah, you run between 9 and 10 to get there. Either that, or we could just Floo there. Floo Travel is where you travel through fireplaces. But I think we’ll take the train,” Skull said, nodding to himself.

Reborn gave up trying to understand and just nodded along.


	4. Arrival at Hogwarts!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, they’re at Hogwarts! POV switch in this chapter.

Harry didn’t know what to think when just as Moody sat down at the table and Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak again, the doors burst open again and two people came sprinting in. Everyone watched in interest as one of them, with clothes that put flowers to shame, bent over gasping for breath before Dumbledore. The other merely straightened his tie and looked around the hall with a nonchalant look about him. Said Headmaster looked amused.

”Ah, Skull, I was wondering when you’d be here,” he said in amusement. The male dressed in purple was on the ground, chest heaving, and he held up a hand in a thumbs up.

”Sorry,” he wheezed. “Sorry for being late. We missed the train because the car popped a tire. Then my motorbike broke down as we were arriving and we had to run all the way.”

Dumbledore smiled, but the other person who’d come in gave the purple man’s leg a swift kick; who gave a loud yell of indignation, but not pain.

”Get up, Lackey,” he said in irritation.

The man on the ground, Skull- Dumbledore had said, gave a huff and got up, taking off his helmet in one fluid move. That’s when Harry realised- that no, he was not a man, but a _teenager_.

Wild, unkempt purple hair that rivalled even Harry’s hair emerged. Eyes like uncut amethysts and purple painted lips quirked up into a grin. He wore make up, and Harry wondered if those eyes were the result of contact lenses.

His eyes wandered to the other. He was a little older, perhaps in his early twenties. He wore a black fedora, with a yellow-orange band wrapped around the base. A small green... chameleon... perched atop the hat. He wore an expensive looking suit, with a yellow button up shirt. Then Harry noticed the small red octopus on the purple teen’s arm.

...ok. Why not. Not the weirdest thing he’s ever seen. Then Dumbledore turned to the school and Harry snapped back to attention.

”Ah, may I introduce Professor Moody’s teaching assistant; Mr. Skull de Mort.”

An uneasy murder rippled through the school and de Mort grimaced.

”Ah, just call me Skull. I, uh, sort of changed my name to mock Vol- I mean, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.”

Harry’s eyes widened, as did several others. This purple haired person who looked like he’d jumped out of a cartoon had taken up Voldemort’s name to _mock_ him? Dumbledore coughed, regaining the attention.

”Yes, and next to him is... ah,” Dumbledore trailed off, glancing at Skull in a silent inquiry.

”Reborn,” the man said before Skull could answer. “I’m... acting as Lackey’s... caretaker for the year.”

”I’m not a kid,” Skull mumbled. Dumbledore smiled knowingly.

”I see then, well, I do hope you enjoy your stay.”

** _Later..._ **

”Blimey, that was one crazy dinner, wasn’t it Harry? Muggles, the Triwizard Tournament, and some guy who’s making fun of You-Know-Who,” Ron asked as he climbed into bed.

”Yup,” Harry said, nodding.

”And did you _see_ Malfoy’s face when it turned out that Reborn bloke was a muggle?” Ron snorted. “All those protests and then- bam! That chameleon just turns into a... a what did you call it?”

”Gun,” Harry supplied.

”Right, that, and suddenly there’s a hole next to Malfoy’s hand! And it’s smoking!”

Ron was practically dying with laughter. “Then, the muggle just goes- ‘I’ve only been told not to kill anyone. No one said anything about injuring. The next person to complain gets a bullet in their tongue. I’ve killed people younger for lesser things, don’t test me’- it was bloody wicked!”

Neville looked nervous.

”But that was rather scary, wasn’t it?” he asked nervously. Dean seemed to agree with Neville.

”And the muggle has a shapeshifting chameleon. Like, what’s with that? Is he really a muggle? And the octopus! And the muggle seems an awful lot like those Mafia guys that show up in the shows my mum watches,” Dean said.

”Mafia?” Neville asked, and Harry sat up in disbelief.

”You mean wizards don’t _have_ mafia?” he asked, and heads shook. Dean sighed.

”Mafia is basically an underground organisation dealing with drugs, the underworld and stuff like that. They’re a bit like... the muggle version of Death Eaters, except you don’t know who’s mafia and who’s not. Their comings and goings are also secret. And though people know they’re there, no one can ever do anything about them,” he explained.

There was a tense pause, and then Seamus cleared his throat.

”Well, I think we should all go to sleep now and stop talking about this. First day of school tomorrow,” he said, drawing his curtains and disappearing from sight.

So, one by one, each of the boys muttered a small goodnight and drew their curtains and fell asleep. An odd day indeed.

_ **POV switch...** _

”...”

”...Lackey...”

”I told them!” Skull wailed loudly. Reborn raised an eyebrow, and gestured toward the single king sized bed. “I _told _Severus in the letter! ‘Please have two rooms ready because I will be bringing someone along because my Family doesn’t trust me to stay out of trouble’. I swear I told them!”

”Can’t you ask them for another room?” Reborn asked.

”We could,” Skull agreed. “Except this room is above the teacher’s room, which is above the teacher’s classroom, and there’s no room above this. So if we were given another room it would probably be somewhere away from here and that would be troublesome. And the stairs like to move and the doors like to disappear so... you’d probably get lost if you took one step out of your room. The castle is mean that way.”

”...the castle is alive?” Reborn asked, and Skull shrugged.

”Well, everyone talks about it like it’s alive, so I’m assuming it’s alive.”

The conversation trailed off, and the two looked at the bed, and sighed. ”I could sleep on the couch...?” Skull offered.

”Absolutely not,” Reborn snapped. “You’re going to be the one teaching in the morning. I’ll take the couch.”

”But you’re-” Skull flailed his arms at Reborn. “Well, you’re Reborn! And you’re a guest! You don’t sleep on the couch, I’ll sleep on the couch, Senpai!”

”I thought I said no,” Reborn said.

Oodako and Leon watched this fight like it was a very interesting tennis match. The two argued back and forth like an old married couple. It was rather amusing to watch.

_Should we just tell them to sleep on the bed? _Oodako wondered. Leon watched his human fight with Oodako’s human.

**_...Maybe soon. Hey, is this what people call a Lover’s Quarrel?_** Leon asked.

_Maybe? Wait... since when were they mates?_

_**Since they met. It’s been my life goal to get them together**, _Leon said matter of factly.

_Oh... ok. It’s annoying, isn’t it? Like, can’t they just get together? _Oodako complained.

Leon gave the chameleon equivalent of a shrug, before getting an idea.

**_Follow me_.**

Oodako blinked, but did as told. Leon led the octopus to the couch and Oodako seemed to realised Leon’s intent. Oodako dragged his travel tank, (a fishbowl with a lid), and shoved it up onto the couch before settling inside and closing the lid. Leon lay down next to the bowl and waited for their humans to notice.

They noticed in about ten seconds.

Skull blinked. Then groaned, rubbing his hand over his face.

”The familiars have claimed the couch already,” he sighed. Reborn shot the animals an annoyed glance.

”Then we’ll just share the bed,” he said stiffly. Skull blinked again. The information loaded... and his face bloomed red.

”Fine!” he squeaked. “I claim the left side!”

”Do as you want,” Reborn muttered.

The two got ready for bed, and Skull slid under the sheets, promptly turning away from Reborn.

”...night Senpai,” he mumbled, shitting his eyes.

”...night Lackey,” Reborn grumbled back.

Leon and Oodako looked at each other. Then Leon gave a small nod and Oodako twisted his tentacles into a thumbs up.

Mission accomplished... almost. Now, to get them to kiss...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if I’m making them OOC! I’ve never tried Skull and Reborn and this is my first fanfic...


	5. Lessons with Skull!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull’s first lesson with the class because Moody, (LOL, not Moody, actually, as you all know), is sick, apparently. (Nah. Not really, just feeling lazy and brewing potions).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI: Harry and co. have already had their first lesson. This is... eh, let’s just say around the 3rd lesson?

Harry expected Moody to be in the classroom when he got there. He didn’t expect the teacher’s assistant, Skull, to be at the front desk instead. He hesitated, but then walked in with Ron and Hermione. Skull glanced up briefly from his book, nodded, and continued reading. Students slowly began to trickle in, and only when all the seats were full did Skull set his book down and stretch.

”Alright!” he said loudly. “Let’s begin. I’m not gonna bother taking the roll, because I don’t really care. If you’re here, you’re here. If you’re not, whatever. I’m not going to bother hunting one student down because they’re too lazy or stupid to show up. As you may or may not know, my name is Skull de Mort. Just call me Skull. Now, I know this is a stupid question, and you all know the answer to this question, but just humour me, ok?”

Harry watched in interest as Skull turned and began to write on the board. Then when he finished he turned around and stepped aside, pointing at the question.

”Who can answer me? What do you do when someone shoots a spell at you? And no, this isn’t a trick question. Come on, hands up!” he said enthusiastically.

Several hands went up slowly. Skull pointed at Neville. “Yea? You?”

”You dodge...?” Neville tried, and Skull nodded.

”Excellent! Three points to Gryffindor! Anyone else? Yes? Parkinson, correct?”

”Yes. You can cast protego?”

”Yes! You can cast spells to defend yourselves! Three points to Slytherin! You!”

”Dodge for cover.”

”Yup! And hands away now. But, here’s the question. How many of you can actually dodge a spell?”

There was silence, and everyone looked around at each other slowly. Hesitantly, Hermione spoke up.

”We... we’ve never tried, sir,” she said. Skull nodded like that answered all his questions.

”See, that’s the _thing_,” he stressed. “You’ve never tried. Did you know, muggles have made weapons that can shoot projectiles _faster_ than a spell? Did you know muggles have been able to make explosions so powerful and dangerous it can wipe out a country? Those are called nuclear bombs, by the way. And don’t call me sir. Just Skull is fine.”

”Why,” Malfoy said, “is this important in DADA?”

Skull rolled his eyes, like it was the most stupid question ever to be voiced. Harry was beginning to like this young teacher.

”Its important _because_ what if your wand breaks and someone is shooting spells at you? What if muggles find out your a magical wizard or witch and try to catch you? What you gonna do then, huh?”

Malfoy looked speechless, and Skull nodded triumphantly. “And so, follow me!”

Everyone hurried to get up as the teacher didn’t wait for them and just stride out the classroom with a yell over his shoulder. “Bring everything! You won’t have time to come back at the end!”

People doubled back for their bags.

They walked for a bit, and Skull led them out to... was that the Quidditch pit? Harry wondered why they were going to the Quidditch pit. And the muggle was there. He seemed to be waiting for them.

”This ought to be interesting,” Ron mumbled.

Skull bounced over and waved to the muggle.

”We’re here Senpai! Are you ready?” he called.

The muggle glanced up, and nodded. The green chameleon on his hat scrambled down to his hand and shifted into a gun. An... octopus looked up and gave a strange mixture of a chirp and a gurgle. Skull cooed and scooped up the octopus, hugging it to his chest.

”Aww, I love you too, Oodako,” he said. The muggle rolled his eyes.

”Get on with it Lackey,” he snapped, and Skull nodded cheerfully

Malfoy looked like he wanted to demand why a mere _muggle_ was ordering around a wizard, but one glare from the muggle sent him into silence.

”Right!” Skull announced. “Today is all about physical exercise. Wizards and witches depend too much on their magic and so become very... unfit. This is Reborn, he’ll be... uh, helping...? Yea, helping me get you guys into shape.”

”What can a muggle-” apparently Malfoy couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

Suddenly, the muzzle of a gun was resting against Malfoy’s forehead. Reborn looked faintly amused.

”Well?” he asked. “Aren’t you going to finish that sentence? What, cat got your tongue? Not going to draw your wand?”

Stiffly, and it was rather obvious he was trying be discreet, Malfoy moved his hand slowly towards his pocket. Reborn moved like lighting. A fist buried itself into Malfoy’s gut and another hand grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back. Malfoy gave a choked scream of pain as a loud ‘crack!’ came from his arm and he was dropped to the ground.

Harry watched with wide eyes, and then glanced at Skull, who was watching with a blank face. The teacher’s assistant then waited until Reborn had walked away from Malfoy before walking over and kneeling next to him. Skull shook his head as he helped Malfoy get up.

”And that,” he said to the class, “is why you don’t mess with highly trained muggles that could kill you without magic. Reborn could have easily killed Malfoy. I have another friend who could’ve injected him with poison and leave him in writhing agony. Another two could have shot his brains out before he could have even blinked. Yet another could have snapped his spine in half with a well-placed kick.”

”Bloody hell, what kind of friends does this guy have?” Ron mumbled.

Skull handed Malfoy over to Crabbe and Goyle and said, “Take him to the infirmary,” before the three headed off and Skull turned to the rest of the class.

”Right. I suggest if you wish to keep your tongue, don’t mouth off in front of Reborn. Instead, if you want to bitch to someone, do it to your friends or me. I’m less likely to kill you and instead talk it out.

”Now! You all know the game ‘Tag’ yes? For those who don’t, all you have to do is evade the ‘It’ person. If you’re tagged, you’re out! Except this time, Reborn is It, and there _is_ no ‘out’. Instead, you’ll be given a fifteen second head start, then Reborn goes after you and if you get caught, you’re beaten to the ground, forced to get up, and run again! The gam will only end if either there’s only one student standing, or none of you can get up. I think it’ll be the latter. Ready? No? Don’t care! Ready, set, START RUNNING!”

Everyone stood frozen to their spots as Skull began to count. Reborn smirked at their expressions and curled his finger around his gun. The two animals watched by Skull’s side in interest.

“One! Two! Three!”

Harry tugged at his friends arms and began to run. Others began to shake themselves out of their stupor and started to follow his lead.

”Eight! Nine! Ten! Eleven!”

Reborn bent his knees slightly, getting ready for the hunt.

”-teen! Fifteen! You’re all fair game now!”

Then the screams began. Harry dared a risk by glancing back and- holy shit a normal human shouldn’t be able to do that without the help of magic! Goddamn it, just who was this muggle?! Harry turned heel and _ran_.

_ **Inside the castle...** _

Professor McGonagall frowned as screams interrupted her class. She moved to the window and peered out. What she saw made her jaw drop. She slammed open the window and blinked, then began to shout loudly.

”Professor!” she shrieked. “Professor de Mort! What on _earth_ are you _doing_!?”

”Teaching!” Skull hollered back.

”Getting your muggle friend to chase down the students and _beat them half to death_ is _not_ teaching!”

”They need to survive out in the real world! What if their wand breaks?! What if they’re being chased?! They rely way to much on magic! They’ll be fine, Professor! Reborn did this to his student back home and they came out as the best of the best!”

McGonagall looked faint at this. Her class exchanged looks. They hoped they’d never have that teacher’s assistant. Ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right. I’m just doing this cause I’m bored. The first person to guess this riddle gets a prompt request!
> 
> I can fly, but have no wings. I can cry, but I have no eyes. Wherever I go, darkness follows me. What am I?


	6. Fun (for us, not for you)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another lesson with Professor Skull and Reborn!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is for Master_Torch_Master, who guessed the riddle correctly!

Harry almost ran back out the class when he saw Skull sitting at the desk again. Instead though, he bit back his nerves and sat down as far away as possibly from the possibly crazy, purple, octopus loving maniac. Who thought he’d be better than Moody? Once all the students had trickled in, Skull once again got them to follow him to the Quidditch pit. A stone dropped in Harry’s stomach as he saw Reborn waiting there again.

But then he noticed the Quidditch pit and his jaw dropped. The whole field had been transformed into one giant mimicry of a forest/desert/parkour. There was a raised platform overlooking the whole thing, and Harry had a bad feeling about the entire set up.

”Right!” Skull said loudly. “This time, it’s a free for all battle Royale! Magic is allowed! Simple fist fights are allowed! Breaking bones is allowed! Teaming up is allowed! But no more than five to a group! And if you’re gonna go in groups, come up so I can put you down. However! No fatal spells or moves are allowed! The game ends when there’s either one team or person standing, or no one can continue to fight. Understood?”

There was a murmur of agreement. Everyone had already resigned to their fates with despair.

”Well, it could be worse,” Ron muttered. “They could be joining in.”

”Oh!” Skull said. “And Reborn and I will be on that platform, shooting at you as well!”

Harry sighed and looked at Ron. He and Hermione said at the same time, “You jinxed us.”

They were all given time to team up if they wanted to, and then herded into the ‘forest’ and given two minutes to start spreading out.

Harry, Ron and Hermione all scrambled with everyone else to get away from the other teams. What seemed like only seconds later, the horn sounded with a blare for the battle to begin.

_ **Up on the platform with our ship...** _

”So...” Skull said, coughing. “I dunno if this is a good time to mention it, but I don’t know how to shoot. Like, anything at all,” Skull said.

Reborn stared at him, then sighed, taking the paintball gun from Skull’s hand.

”Well, for one,” Reborn said drily, “you could start with not pointing the gun at your feet. I’ll teach you. Come.”

The two settled down on the wooden platform and Reborn pointed to various parts of the gun. “This is the muzzle. This is where the magazines go. Those are the things that hold the bullets, or in this case, the paintballs. This is the safety...”

Skull watched with rapt attention as Reborn explained carefully and patiently. “To actually shoot the gun, you pull this, take aim, and...”

There was a crack and a paintball whizzed out. Skull watched it go and... pink splattered over a student’s robes. Skull grinned.

”I wanna try!”

They spent the next few minutes just shooting at random teams, but not really trying to hit them; only freak them out. Then high pitched screams came from a group near a makeshift swamp. Skull glanced at Reborn. “Should we have warned them of the familiars?”

Reborn hummed as large red tentacles knocked down several trees and the screams grew higher in pitch. Then he shook his head.

”They have to learn to expect surprises.”

Skull nodded slowly. Then a wicked smile grew on his lips and he held up a strangely shaped bazooka. Reborn raised an eyebrow and Skull elaborated.

”Glitter bomb~” he said in a sing-song voice. Reborn nodded in approval.

The two had a blast. Along the way, Skull summoned some snacks and drinks and the two of them started keeping scores. A head hit was worth five points, between the neck and hip was worth three points, and below the waist was one point.

It wasn’t surprising to say that Reborn won.

In the end, the Quidditch pit transformed back into its normal appearance after the last person was ‘killed’. As a reward for lasting longer than the others, (around 45 minutes), the student, who turned out to be Hermione, was given a homework pass, which she took gratefully. (Homework turned out to be fifty pushups, twenty sit ups, and three laps around the Quidditch pit. They had to have proof they did it).

When the bell for lunch rang, the class stumbled into the Great Hall covered in glitter, paint, and silly string. Other students watched with gaping mouths as the thirty or so students all slumped onto tables, completely ignoring the House rules.

A Gryffindor collapsed face-first into a Slytherin’s plate of food. A Slytherin randomly hugged an unsuspecting Gryffindor and sobbed into their shoulder.

What stunned everyone the most, however, was that Malfoy and Ron were both supporting each other as they limped into the Great Hall. They didn’t seem to notice they were both practically hugging each other. Then they both sat side-by-side at the Hufflepuff table, and glanced at each other. They stared, their eyes blank, not really processing who the other was, before recognition dawned in their faces... then they ignored each other and wolfed down their lunch.

The students in the Great Hall were shocked. What on earth...? WAS THE WORLD ENDING?! Then Skull slipped in, dragging Reborn behind him and humming cheerfully. The purple teen stopped at the silence and looked at his students who seemed to be half dead. Then he shrugged, beaming at Reborn.

”I think we mended house hostilities, Reborn!” he said cheerfully. “Your spartan training really _is_ effective! We should do something like this again!”

At this, his students all sat up in horror, and began to screech and scream and sob in despair.

”No!” one screamed. “Mercy! I beg for mercy!”

”Never! Never again!” another cried, burying his head into a cake.

”Kill me! Someone just kill me!”

”Bloody hell! No!”

”I wanna go hooome!”

”The two of you are insane!”

”You can’t be a muggle! You’re too evil!”

All students looked at the weeping fourth years in horror and shock. Then they turned their eyes to the two ‘teachers’. One of whom was smirking, and another who was looking rather confused as to why people were sobbing and shaking their heads in a blubbering mess.

The next time DADA was up, all students gave a quick peek inside the classroom, saw that it was Moody who would be teaching, and promptly threw themselves at him. They cried and asked him to never leave again. The poor kids...

Moody on the other hand, was completely befuddled as to why the students all avoided the muggle, and shook when Skull was a meter away from them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! Done! I hope this was up to scratch, Master_Torch_Master! I did my best! I just had so many ideas for this...


	7. Little things matter too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reborn and Skull talk

When Reborn woke up, Skull was gone. He blinked and sat up, looking around. It was still night, the moonbeams cast a silvery-white glow on the floor. The window was open. Oodako was gone too. He frowned slightly and got up, making his way to the window and peered out.

Near the lake a lone figure could be seen curled into itself in a small, loose ball. Reborn frowned, then saw the curling ivy that formed steps leading from the window to the ground. He hesitated briefly, then swung his legs out the window. Leon woke up from the slight noise and scampered over onto his shoulder. Reborn didn’t mind. He slowly made his way down, and walked over to Skull silently.

”Lackey?” he called when he was only a meter away. Skull jumped, whirling around with wide eyes, he relaxed upon seeing Reborn. (A strange burst of pride jumped in Reborn’s chest knowing that Skull felt safe around him).

”Ah,” Skull said. “Hello Senpai. Want to sit?”

Skull waved his hand and a dry spot appeared on the dewy ground. Reborn sat next to him silently. After a while of sitting in silence, Reborn spoke.

”I thought you said wandless magic is exceptionally hard?” he asked.

”It is. But it just comes to me naturally,” Skull answered, and the two lapsed into a minute of comfortable silence.

”...where’s Oodako?”

Skull jutted his chin towards the lake, and Reborn squinted into the dark waters. Oodako, now the size of a pickup truck, was playing with the Giant Squid. Reborn remembered seeing the squid and wondering how it fit in the lake. The two giant animals were playing together in the water, the occasional splash of water landed near the two human’s feet. Reborn gave a small ‘ah’.

”...hey, Senpai?” Skull asked, and Reborn glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. “What’s your real name?”

Reborn pondered on what to say for a few seconds. He had the urge to tell Skull the truth. And wasn’t that strange? He lived for chaos, thrived in it. He loved twisting words and giving people headaches. And yet... he shrugged, looking back out to the lake.

”If I tell you mine, will you tell me yours?” Reborn questioned.

”That’s fine with me,” Skull agreed easily.

”...Renato. Renato Sinclair.”

Skull stared at him for a few seconds, and then gave a breathy little laugh.

”You know,” Skull said, “now that I hear you have a name, you don’t seem as... untouchable anymore. Not as scary.”

”Was I scary to you?” Reborn asked, amused.

”Ah, yea. Quite a bit, really.”

”I see. Then? What’s your name?”

”...Rigel. Rigel Artemis Black.”

Reborn stared at him for a bit, then nodded.

”You’re right,” he said, and Skull blinked. “Hearing your name does make you seem more normal.”

Skull threw back his head and laughed. Then he turned his head to Reborn and smiled. And Reborn’s breath caught.

He wondered why Skull chose to wear all those layers of make up and piercings when he was so, _so_ beautiful without any adornments or paint on his face. His eyes were sharp, bright and beautiful- so much that they put gemstones to shame. Dark purple hair matted by sleep and without its usual spikiness curled around his pale face. A straight nose and lips quirked up into a smile. Slender neck and bite-able collarbones.

Reborn’s mouth went dry and he turned his head away quickly. He cleared his throat, trying to shake his thoughts away.

”How about we play a game?” he asked lightly, and Skull tilted his head.

”What game?”

”Twenty questions.”

Skull hesitated, but then nodded.

”Alright. You wanna ask first or should I?” he asked.

”...you can ask first.”

Skull nodded and then asked, “How old were you when the curse struck?”

”23.”

”Ah. Favourite colour?”

”Yellow.”

”Should have expected that. Any siblings?”

“I’m an only child.”

”Mm. Fourth question. You don’t have to answer this one. First kill?”

”... a man. He cheated on his wife. She wanted him dead.”

”When?”

”I was around... 12 or so, I think.”

”Former significant others?”

”Only one-night stands.”

The questions went on until it was Reborn’s turn to ask and Skull’s turn to answer.

”Siblings?”

”I have a few half siblings.”

”Real looks?”

”Just me with black hair.”

”Age when the curse struck?”

”Twenty.”

And so on. It wasn’t until the last question that Skull faltered.

”Last question. You said something about a bounty on your head before. Why?”

Skull blinked, and then stiffened. His eyes glazed over and he grew even paler. He began to shake his head, fears pooling in his eyes.

”No,” he whimpered. “No, no, no... I swear. I didn’t do it. I swear! Don’t leave me, okay? I didn’t do it!”

To Reborn’s shock, Skull began to cry and Reborn felt a burst of panic. What the hell was he supposed to do? He’d never been in this position before! So he did what he could only think of. He grabbed Skull and pulled him to his chest. One hand cupped the back of Skull’s neck, pressing the younger’s face to his chest and his other hand stroked Skull’s back comfortingly.

”Hey,” he said soothingly. “Calm down. Calm down, amore. It’s ok, I won’t go. Calm down...”

A while later, Skull’s sobs turned into the occasional hiccup. They stayed like that for a while, Skull holding onto Reborn like he was the last thing left in the world, and Reborn rubbing soothing circles onto Skull’s back.

Skull sniffled and buried his face into Reborn’s chest.

”...sorry,” he mumbled. “And thank you.”

”...you’re welcome.”

They lapsed into silence again. Leon watched silently from his place in the ground. Oodako and the Giant Squid watched curiously too. Reborn cleared his throat. “I may not be the best comforter or listener,” he began slowly. “But I’ll always be here if you need someone to lean on. I swear it.”

”You don’t know that,” Skull mumbled, gripping Reborn’s shirt tightly.

”I do,” Reborn said firmly. “I do know. And if I’m not there, then you have the rest. Fon will help you, Lal and Colonello too. Viper, I bet, won’t even charge you if you’re in desperate times. Verde... he may act like he’s heartless, but you do remember what happened when you got kidnapped, yes?”

Skull gave a muffled laugh and hit Reborn’s chest lightly.

”I remember. Then... thanks, Reborn.”

The Hitman hummed and nodded, not that Skull could see it. “Hey... Reborn...”

”Yes, Skull?”

”...huh, I think that’s the first time you called my name. Anyway, can I... can I call you Renato?”

”...of course. What should I call you, then?”

”Just Skull. I really like that name. I disowned myself a long time ago anyway. Or Lackey. I don’t mind.”

”Hmm.”

Skull pulled himself off of Reborn, who squashed down the feeling of disappointment blooming in his chest. The Skull grinned at him.

”Hey, Renato?”

”Yes, Skull?”

Skull leaned forward, brushing his lips against Reborn’s.

”Thank you. I mean it.”

Reborn froze, his brain having stopped at the kiss. Then it started to work again as Skull got up from his seat, about to walk away- _no! Don’t go!_

Reborn lunged at Skull, Who yelped as he was tackled to the ground. “Reb- Renato-Senpai?!”

Reborn stared at the male under him, then crashed their lips together. His Sun Flames purred as they finally, _finally_ entwined together with Skull’s Cloud Flames. Skull gave a small smile against Reborn’s lips and brought his hands behind Reborn’s neck.

Leon and Oodako watched in satisfaction and gave each other their version of a thumbs up. About time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Our pairing is finally together! Hm... was this a bit too quick...? Leave your thoughts below in the comments section!


	8. Arrival of Beauxbaton and Durmstrang!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Read the chapter title. Sums it up pretty good.

When the students arrived at the Great Hall for breakfast, they honestly didn’t expect to see Skull and Reborn acting like... well, like a couple. Skull had a content smile on his face, his head leaning against Reborn’s shoulder. He was make up and piercing-less. Reborn was drinking coffee, reading a newspaper, and allowing Skull to play with his hand.

Several people had to be sent to the infirmary. 

However, apart from this chaotic couple, there was some other news going round the Hogwarts grapevine. Mostly about how the Durmstrang and Beauxbaton students would be arriving. So far, Skull had heard theories from thestrals to dragons and everything in between. There was even a bet going around.

However, all was about to be answered as the students lined up in the chilly October night air, waiting for the foreign students to arrive. Suddenly, Reborn’s head snapped up. Skull glanced at him.

”Eh? What’s wrong?” Skull asked, and Reborn nodded towards the sky.

”It appears one of them is here.”

The students who caught his words all looked up at the sky and gasped.

”It’s a dragon!” a girl shrieked, and Skull bit back a snort.

”Don’t be stupid!” someone yelled back. “It’s a flying house!”

Eh, close enough, Skull thought. It was a giant, flying horse-drawn carriage. Several people gave gasps as it landed, and the door swung open. A boy jumped out and unfolded a set of steps. More gasps followed as someone stepped outside.

Skull had to admit, the woman was tall. Very tall. Maybe even taller than Hagrid. Then Dumbledore started to clap, and the students and teachers followed his lead. The woman’s face relaxed into a smile, and she held out a hand. Dumbledore took it and kissed the back of it.

”My dear Madame Maxime, welcome to Hogwarts,” he said warmly.

”Dumbly-dorr,” the woman greeted. “I ‘ope I find you well?”

”In excellent form, I thank you,” Dumbledore answered.

”My pupils,” Madame Maxine said, gesturing behind her and students began to pile out. All of them were shivering. Rather stupid of them, Skull observed. Wearing silk and no cloaks on the middle of winter. “‘As Karkaroff arrived yet?”

”He should be here any moment,” Dumbledore said. “Would you like yo wait here and greet him or would you prefer to step inside and warm up a trifle?”

Skull tuned out then, sighing and leaning against the doorframe of Hogwart’s entrance. Reborn glanced at him in amusement. Then, suddenly, there was strange sound. Skull frowned, then his head turned sharply to the side. His jaw dropped.

”The lake! Look at the lake!” someone shouted.

The lake had a whirlpool swirling in the middle, and then, slowly, a black pole began to rise out of the lake.

”Its a mast!” someone hissed, and several others echoed the call.

Skull stared as a ship rose out of the dark depths of the water, to Skull, it looked faintly like a ghost ship from the movies he liked to watch. There was the thud of a plank being lowered, and people began to disembark.

A man was leading the way. He called to the Headmaster like they were old friends.

”Dumbledore! How are you my dear fellow, how are you?” he shouted.

”Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff,” replied Dumbledore. The two grasped hands and shook. Then the man looked up at Hogwarts, his smile a leer more than anything. “Dear old Hogwarts. How good is it to be here, how good. Viktor, come along, into the warmth... you don’t mind, Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold...”

Karkaroff beckoned forward a boy. Skull wasn’t sure who he was, but others seemed to recognise the teen. However... , suddenly, Skull realised something very, _very_ important.

Oodako was in the lake, and his familiar had no idea the ship wasn’t of any threat. Shit. His eyes whipped towards the lake, and sure enough, a tentacle had appeared at the ship, coiling around it slowly. Skull took off in a sprint, pushing his way through the students.

”OODAKO!” he yelled. “NO! STOP! ITS OK BOY! ITS OK!”

Too late, the tentacle had already brought the ship above the water, and had begun to swing it around. The people still inside the ship began to scream. Students of Hogwarts began to scream as the Durmstrang students shot spells, only managing to further enrage the familiar.

”OODAKO!” Skull wailed, then shouted at the Durmstrang kids. “STOP IT! STOP IT! YOU’RE UPSETTING HIM! DO YOU _WANT_ TO BECOME _FISH FOOD_?!”

There was chaos. Spells fired, people screamed, and Skull wailed along with Oodako’s pained screeches. Then- _BANG! BANG! BANG!_

All eyes turned to Reborn, who had his gun in the air. He looked bored, but a simmer of rage could be seen. Skull gave a sigh and turned to his familiar.

”Oodako,” he cooed. “It’s ok boy, everything’s fine, yea? Put down the ship. They’re not a threat. I’m sorry, but I didn’t think they’d intrude on your territory. Forgive and forget, yea? Or just forgive?”

The tentacles wavered, and then slowly set down the ship, tentacles retreating into the depth of the water and then a large, red head popping up from the water. Skull pulled out his familiar’s breather and snapped his fingers. With the faintest flicker of Cloud Flames barely visibly to the naked eye, Oodako shrank down to his normal size and Skull placed the breather around him, then picked him up.

Oodako cuddled closer, and Skull petted him, not minding the fact that he was getting wet. Skull sighed in relief and turned to the shell-shocked people. He bowed briefly.

”My bad,” he said. “I didn’t expect Durmstrang to arrive through Oodako’s temporary territory. I apologise.”

”And who,” Karkaroff scoffed, “are _you_?”

”Skull,” Skull said coldly, not liking the man’s tone at all. “Skull de Mort. I’m a teacher here.”

A few people did double takes and stumbled back. Skull rolled his eyes. “Do I look like a Voldemort to you? Jeez. Fear of the name ignites fear of the person himself. Skull de Mort isn’t even my real name, losers.”

Karkaroff looked ready to explode.

”You little brat!” he hissed.

”Ah,” Skull interrupted. “Technically, I’m 53. I was cursed. So... I think I’m a bit older than you. Possibly. How old are you?”

”Everyone, let’s calm down,” Dumbledore said soothingly. Skull frowned, and humphed.

“I’m calm. It’s him who’s not,” he said. Reborn rolled his eyes and patted Skull’s head.

”Yes, I’m sure,” Reborn said. “Now, let’s go check if Oodako is alright. I’m sure he needs some attention.”

Skull looked alert and nodded, running off to his room, Oodako cradled in his arms. As soon as Skull had left, a bloodthirsty aura filled the space and everyone stiffened. All eyes turned to the source.

Reborn smiled not-so-nicely. Leon flashed and turned into a gun. The Hitman spun the gun in his hand. His hat cast shadows over his abyss like eyes. A shudder rippled through the crowd.

”I suggest,” he purred to Karkaroff, “if you have any desire to live, to keep your silence around Skull and myself. Understood?”

Without waiting for an answer, Reborn turned and strode into the castle. There was a moment of tense silence, and someone broke the silence with a loud- “where do Hogwarts even get this teacher’s?”


	9. An enemy and four champion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reborn finds out there’s an intruder in the castle, and the Champions are chosen.

Reborn had a bad feeling something was about to go wrong. The morrow would be when the Champions would be chosen by the so called ‘Goblet of Fire’. Reborn slid out of bed, and Skull stirred.

”Mm? Renato...?”

”Shh,” Reborn murmured, stroking Skull’s hair. “Go back to sleep.”

”Mmkay...”

Skull’s eyes slid close and Reborn made his way out of their shared room. He didn’t bother putting on anything presentable and padded down silently to the classroom and- he ducked back, his eyes narrowing.

A man was already there, looking around suspiciously. Then the man left the classroom and Reborn waited for a few seconds before following him. Sticking to the shadows, Reborn was practically invisible as he followed the stranger to... to the Goblet of Fire. He raised an eyebrow. Oh?

He was so concentrated on the man, he almost didn’t notice Leon at his foot. Reborn hissed quietly when he almost stepped on his friend, and allowed the small reptile to climb up to his shoulder. The two peered through the crack in the door and saw the man waving around his stick- wand. Waving around his _wand_ and muttering something under his breath.

Then he stepped through the age line and put in a slip of paper. Reborn gestured at Leon to transform, and then stepped through the door.

”Well, what do we have here?” he asked in faux amusement. The man whipped around, his wand raised, and Reborn ran forward.

Before the man could even think, Reborn had him pinned to the floor, wand kicked away and arm twisted behind his back. The man gave a screech of pain, and Reborn clicked his tongue. “Now, now, let’s be quiet, en? You wouldn’t want to get caught, would you? Though, that’s already happened.”

”Let go of me, you filthy muggle!” the man hissed; Reborn ignored him.

”What to do with you?” Reborn mused. “Take you to the old man? Or should I let you go for the sake of chaos...? Or maybe I should just kill you.”

The man gave an angered growl, and Reborn sighed. “Alright then. Who sent you? How did you get in?”

”Like I’d tell you anything!”

”Hm, thought not. Fine, let’s do it like this. How about this, I let you go do whatever, and then I catch your boss when he comes along. Yes? I like that plan.”

Reborn got off of the man,who leapt to his feet and lunged got his wand. Reborn kicked it away again. He sighed. “Really, you people really do rely too much on your magic.”

Then he kicked the wizard in the guts, and the man doubled over, wheezing for breath. Reborn began to walk away. He stopped at the door and nodded and at the wheezing man on the floor.

”Just remember,” he said. “You are not the one playing the game. Goodnight.”

_ **The choosing of the champions...** _

Reborn and Skull watched silently as there was an uproar when Harry’s name was called from the Goblet. They watched as Harry got up reluctantly and made his way to the Champion’s Room. Then the couple got up in sync and moved towards the room as well. No one noticed them in the arguments ensuing.

The four Champions looked up as Skull and Reborn entered. Harry stood up in a panic.

”Professor! I swear, I swear I didn’t put my name in the Goblet!” he said.

Skull nodded and said, “I know.”

”I really- wait, you believe me?” Harry asked, and Skull shrugged.

”Do I have a reason not to? Besides, Renato saw something yesterday. We’re not stupid.”

Then the doors slammed open and the Headmasters of the three schools came striding in along with McGonagall, Bagman, Crouch, Snape and Moody. Skull nodded at Snape.

”It seems your instinct was correct,” he said. “Something is going wrong.”

Snape’s lips curled up into a sneer, and he looked away. Skull sighed. Still the same as always, then.

”Dumbly-dorr! I demand an explanation!” Madame Maxine hissed. “What is this! ‘Ogwarts ‘aving _two_ Champions!? I think not!”

”Indeed, Madame Maxine,” Karkaroff agreed. “I couldn’t have said it any better!”

Dumbledore ignored them for a moment and looked at Harry, his normally twinkling eyes serious.

”Harry,” he said calmly. “Did you put your name in he Goblet of Fire?”

Harry shook his head.

”And why should we believe you? What’s to make us believe this wasn’t planned from the start?” Karkaroff snapped.

”He didn’t do it,” Skull said calmly, far more calmly than Reborn had ever seen him. “Last night, Renato saw someone, a stranger who wasn’t of any of the three schools, mess with the line and put in a slip of paper.”

”Zen what waz ‘e doing outside last night?” Madame Maxine boomed.

”Well,” Reborn drawled. “Skull fell asleep after some games we played, and I needed a walk. Or shoot something. I walked around and saw someone entering the room where the Goblet was held.”

”...games?” Snape asked. Everyone looked at the pair with shock and red faces, and Skull slowly turned red as well.

”Oh my God!” he snapped. “Card games, card games! Renato! This is your fault!”

Reborn shrugged, and nodded at Dumbledore.

”For a supposedly high-security school, a lot of people manage to get in, don’t they?” he asked. Dumbledore opened his mouth when Karkaroff interrupted loudly.

”The boy is most definitely lying!” he said shrilly, and Reborn sighed.

”No, the boy isn’t lying,” he said coldly. “I’m known for being quite the... ‘mind reader’ back where I come from. I know when people lie.”

”But of ‘e is lying!” Madame Maxine cried.

”He couldn’t have crossed the age line,” McGonagall said in irritation. “Besides, Reborn has already told us he saw someone last night-”

”Dumbly-Dort must ‘ave made a mistake wiz ze line,” Madame Maxine hissed. “And to take this person’s word for truth is unwise!”

”Mr. Crouch, Mr. Bagman, surely you see the injustice of this?” Karkaroff asked.

”...the Goblet had chosen, we must abide the rules,” Crouch said. “Those who have their names pulled out of the Goblet are bound magically to compete in the tournament.”

”I protest! We must have a redo! I demand a redo!” Karkaroff cried.

”It doesn’t work that way,” said Bagman. “The Goblet has just gone out, it won’t reignite until the start of the next tournament.”

“I have half a mind to leave right now!” Karkaroff blew up. “With all our negotiations, meetings, and compromises- I little expected for something like this to happen!”

”Empty words,” Moody growled out, and all eyes turned to him. “You can’t leave your Champion now, he’s got to compete, magical binding contract and all. Convenient, eh?”

”Convenient?” Karkaroff asked, “I’m afraid I don’t quite understand you, Moody.”

”I think it’s rather obvious what he’s implying,” Reborn said; all amusement gone now. “It’s very simple, and quite ingenious- if they hadn’t been caught. Someone put the brat’s name in the Goblet knowing he’d have to compete if his name came out.”

”Evidently someone ‘oo wished to give ‘Ogwarts two bites at ze apple!” Madame Maxine cried in obvious outrage.

”Simple minded, the lot of you,” Reborn sighed, and Skull shook his head at him. “Fine. I’ll get to the point. There’s been a high death toll in these games, correct?”

”Correct,” Karkaroff said.

”So, what Professor Moody seems to be implying is that someone is hoping the brat will die for it,” Reborn said carelessly. There was silence.

Then Bagman said, “Moody, old man... what a thing to think!”

Karkaroff scoffed, saying, “We all know Professor Moody considers the morning wasted if he hasn’t discovered six plots to murder him before lunchtime. Apparently, he is now teaching his students to fear assassination too. An odd quality in a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher’s, Dumbledore, but no doubt you had your reasons.”

”Imagining things, am I?” Moody growled. “And you’ve put Reborn’s words out of your mind completely? About the intruder in the castle? It was a bloody good wizard who put Potter’s name in the Goblet.”

(Apparently, all the Champions had been temporarily forgotten and we’re now being talked about like they weren’t even in the room, Skull thought in amusement).

”-hoodwinked a very powerful object!” Moody said, and Skull snapped back to attention. “It would been a very strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle the Goblet into forgetting that only three schools would be competing. I’m guessing they submitted Potter under a fourth school, to make sure he was the only one in the category...”

”You seem to have given this a great deal of thought,” Karkaroff said hotly and Skull turned out for a moment, studying Reborn.

The Hitman was studying the occupants of the room silently. There was a slight frown on his face as he glanced over Moody. Skull frowned too, looking at the DADA teacher. Reborn was holding something back. But... Skull trusted the Hitman with his life. If Reborn had a reason not to say anything, then Skull would follow his lead.

As he was pondering this, it seemed the matter had been solved and everyone had started to depart. Skull hastily followed Reborn out too.

_ **Later...** _

Skull slid beneath the sheets and turned over to face Reborn.

”Ne, Ren, what’s wrong?” he asked.

”He’s suspicious,” Reborn answered. “Somethings not right about him.”

”...ok. Hey, did you manage to get a feel of the wizard’s Flames?”

”No. It was like something was blocking me off from it. But... it was also like the man didn’t have a Flame.”

”But... that’s impossible, right?”

”It should be.”

The two lapsed into silence, and then Reborn sighed. “Go to sleep, Bellissimo.”

”Kay. Night, Ren.”

”...goodnight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Just a quick mention, I’ve started a new story called ‘Those Years We Died And Lived’. It’s about when Skull was at Hogwarts and his life on the run. Go check it out, yea?


	10. The wands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The weighing of the wands and Skull goes ballistic on Rita Skeeter, and Reborn tries to figure out how Owl Post works.

Harry and Hermione made their way to the infirmary after breakfast to write to Sirius. Hermione have Harry a quill, some ink and a parchment, before looking around for an owl as Harry wrote his letter.

As he wrote, the door opened again and Harry’s head snapped up. He didn’t relax when he saw that it was Reborn at the door. The muggle however, merely nodded at Harry, glanced at Hermione and then at the owls.

”Hello, er, Professor,” Harry said awkwardly, and Reborn frowned slightly as he closed the door.

”Call me Reborn. Professor sounds like something Verde would use,” he said, and Harry nodded dumbly.

”Are you... here to send a letter?” Harry asked hesitantly.

”What else?” Reborn asked, looking around warily at the nesting owls. There was a moment of silence and Hermione came back with an owl. Reborn stayed where he was. A thought struck Harry.

”...do you know how to use Owl Post...?” Harry asked.

”Does it look like it?” Reborn asked, a hint of annoyance showing. “Skull didn’t bother elaborating on anything. That damned Lackey.”

”...should we...” Hermione started to say, “should we help you...?”

”...that would be appreciated,” Reborn said, disgruntled.

Hermione went off to look for an owl again, and came back a few seconds later with a lofty looking barn owl.

”Alright, do you have your letter?” Hermione asked, and Reborn handed it to her. “Um, okay then... all you have to do it tie this on here, and then tell the owl who it’s for, and if possible, where that person is.”

”Sawada Tsunayoshi, Japan.”

”Japan?” Hermione asked, bemused. “That’s... a bit far.”

”Can they do it?” Reborn asked, and the owl have an angered hoot, and nipped Reborn’s finger in offence.

”Sure they can,” Harry said hastily. “It just may take a while.”

”That’s fine,” Reborn hummed, and the owl took off. They watched it go, and then Harry turned to his owl.

”Padfoot,” Harry said. “Somewhere in... I don’t know.”

The owl hooted and took off as well, and Reborn turned to go.

”I thank you for your help,” he said smoothly.

”Wait! Pro- Mr. Reborn!” Harry said, Reborn turned, raising an eyebrow. “Last night, you said you saw someone in the castle, putting a slip of paper in the Goblet. Did you really?”

”What reason would I have to lie?” Reborn asked. “Skull also said it, and he isn’t someone who lies. Acts, yes, derails the conversation so far off course no one knows how they got there, yes. But lying? No.”

Harry nodded slowly.

”Then... do you know who...?”

”No. He got away before I could see. He turned invisible,” Reborn lied smoothly.

Harry slumped, then nodded. He said, “Oh. Ok. Thank you anyway for answering my questions.”

”Of course.”

** _ In the next few days... _ **

“_Furnunculus!_”

”_Densaugeo!_”

”_Impedimenta! Protego! Expelliarmus! Expelliarmus!_” a new voice roared, firing off four spells in rapid success in less than three seconds.

Harry and Malfoy’s wands flew out of their hand and into... Skull’s. Who looked absolutely livid. He said in a deathly calm voice, “_Accio _Potter Stinks badges.”

At once, all green and red badges flew into a ready made bucket held by Reborn. There was silence as Skull walked forward briskly, glancing at the two spell casters.

”...ten points from both Slytherin and Gryffindor. And one from all those who stood by watching. Five points from Slytherin for these badges,” Skull said quietly, his eyes seemed to glow an even brighter purple than usual. “And detention to Malfoy for use of the derogatory word Mudblood.”

There were loud protests and then a soft, deadly voice asked softly, “And what is all this noise about?”

Eyes turned to Snape and Malfoy jumped at his chance for freedom.

”Sir! Potter attacked me!”

”Enough of your lies, or I’ll feed you to Oodako!” Skull snarled, and Malfoy flinched back. Skull turned his glare towards Snape. “Teach your house some manners, Severus. Whenever I am around, I will not tolerate the use of _that _word. If I catch him using the word again, there will be consequences far worse than detention.”

There was silence, and no one seemed to even breathe, until Snape nodded slowly.

”Apologies, Ri- Skull. I assure you it will not happen again.”

”I’d hope not,” Skull said, then he turned on his heels and walked away furiously with Reborn.

”Professor-” Malfoy began to say.

”Hold your tongue, Mr. Malfoy,” Snape said quietly. “Skull de Mort is not someone you want to cross.”

Then he too, left. Students began to trickle into the classroom slowly, until only Ron, Harry and Hermione were left there. But then- there was a streak of light and a spell hit Hermione’s face.

”Hermione!” Ron and Harry yelled, and there was a crow of laughter as Malfoy and his goons ran away. Skull appeared in front of Malfoy though.

”Alright,” Skull said in faux calm. “Extra training sessions with Reborn, two more detentions, and another 60 points from Slytherin. Come with me.”

Reborn appeared behind Hermione and gently took her hand away from her mouth as she whimpered. Ron and Harry grew in fury as it was revealed her two front teeth were growing at an alarming rate. Reborn sighed and patted Hermione comfortingly. Or, as comfortingly as Reborn could get.

”Alright,” he said. “It’ll be okay. Let’s just...”

Harry thought he saw Reborn’s hand glowing yellow for a brief second, but he must have imaged it, as it was gone in the next second. However... Hermione’s teeth did stop growing... Reborn glanced at Harry and Ron.

”Tell the teacher Miss. Granger won’t be there for the lesson. Neither will the blonde prat. If he tries to argue, tell him what happened.”

Harry and Ron nodded dumbly as Reborn ushered Hermione away and the two entered the classroom. Harry sat down, and Ron walked away to join Seamus and Dean. Harry’s hands clenched under the table.

”Hermione and Malfoy won’t be at in class,” Harry said as Snape opened his mouth. “Reborn said to tell you.”

Snape’s mouth shut, and he looked furious, but nodded, and started to talk to the class. A few minutes alter though, there was a knock at the door and Colin Creevy peeked in.

”Um sir, I’m supposed to take Harry Potter upstairs.”

”Potter has another hour of Potions to complete,” Snape said coldly. “He will come upstairs when this class is finished.”

”Sir, Sir, Mr. Bagman wants him,” Colin said nervously. “All the champions have to go. I think they want to take photographs...”

Harry almost strangled the kid then. He glanced at Ron, who was staring determinedly at the ceiling like it was the most interesting thing ever to be seen.

”Very well, very well,” Snape growled. “Potter, leave your things here. I want you to come back to test your antidote.”

”Please, sir, he’s got to take his tings with him,” Colin squeaked. “All the Champions-”

”Very _well_! Potter, take your bag and get out of my sight!” Snape snapped.

Harry packed his things and hastily followed Colin out. As they walked, Harry half listened to what Colin said, giving the needed answers to the kid’s rambling.

”Good luck!” Colin said when they reached the right room, before scampering away.

Harry knocked on the door and entered. He looked around the room for the other Champions. Viktor Krum was standing moodily in a corner as usual and not talking to anyone. Cedric and Fleur were in a conversation. Bagman, a woman he’d never seen before, Ollivander and the three Headmaster were inside as well. A man holding a camera was there too.

Bagman then spotted Harry and shot up from his seat.

”Ah, here he is, Champion Number four! In you come, Harry, in you come... nothing to worry about! It’s just a wand weighing ceremony!” he said cheerfully.

”Wand weighing...?” Harry repeated nervously.

”We have to check if the wands are fully functional, you know, as they’re very important in the tasks up ahead,” Bagman answered, then gestured to the woman. “This is Rita Skeeter. She’s doing a small piece on the Tournament for the _Daily Prophet._”

”Maybe not _that_ small, Ludo,” said Skeeter. “I wonder if we can have a little word with Harry before we start? The youngest Champion... you know, to add a bit of colour?”

Before anyone could say anything though, the door burst open and Skull stormed in, dragging a disgruntled looking Malfoy behind him. Skull blinked, then groaned.

”Why?” he snapped at... the wall. “Why is it that all the classrooms so far have been either having a lesson inside them, locked, or just goddamn _stupidly_ fake? How the _hell _am I supposed to lecture a student if the castle itself doesn’t allow me?”

”Skull?” Dumbledore asked. “Is everything all right?”

Skull’s eyes snapped towards Dumbledore and he scowled.

”No,” he growled. “It’s not. Students these days are so... so... rude and vile and have crappy attitudes. I remember when I was at school, there used to be a prefect who went around giving anyone who used the word ‘mudblood’ a detention and took hundreds of points off their house. Now look, people like this-” here he shook Malfoy’s arm- “using the word like second nature. What the hell parents are teaching, I really don’t know.”

”Aren’t you just eighteen? Graduated last ‘ear?” Fleur asked.

”I was _cursed_,” Skull snapped. “I’m older than fifty, goddamnit.”

And there it was again, Harry realised. Skull kept saying he’d been cursed, but with what? A de-aging spell of some sorts? But, thinking back on it, he’d said that Reborn was cursed too... Harry realised Skull was speaking again.

”-for barging in. I’ll be on my way.” But then Skull’s eyes snapped towards Rita Skeeter and he looked _furious_. “_You_,” he hissed, his voice full of hostility and venom.

Rita looked confused.

”Sorry, do I know you?” she asked, and Skull sneered.

”No, I suppose you wouldn’t recognise me. But I sure recognise you, Skeeter. ‘The Treacherous Deeds of the Son of Alphard Black’ was it? Hah, one day, you’ll swallow your own tongue. And I’ll look forward to it.”

The he swept out, dragging Malfoy along. But then he came back and pointed his finger in her direction, and then went back out. Suddenly, Skeeter’s eyes bulged. She pointed at her mouth and gave small desperate shrieks and whimpers. Her mouth opened and closed, and Harry saw, to his horror, that her tongue was folding in on itself.

He turned his head to look for Skull, but the mysterious man had already disappeared. Skeeter was ushered out frantically by her cameraman, and then Ollivander cleared his throat.

”Well... shall we get to it, then?” he asked feebly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really don’t like Skeeter. And I always imaged that happening to her. I’m glad it became a reality in this.


	11. Dragons? That’s not so bad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of what Skull did, and Harry finds out about the first task, along with Cedric.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick thanks to Master_Torch_Master for the idea of our Hogwarts Champs just going ‘dragons? Eh, no big deal’ ...hehehe.

Harry decided he needed to send Sirius another letter. Pronto. So he nabbed a parchment from his back, a quill, and some ink, before starting to write.

_Dear Sirius,_

_Do you know of someone in your family called Alphard Black? The teaching assistant for our DADA teacher, Skull, mentioned something about a newspaper article written by Rita Skeeter called ‘the treacherous deeds of the son of Alphard Black’. Skull also said something about being under a curse. I was wondering if you knew anything. That’s all._

_Well wishes, Harry._

Harry went to the Owlery to send his letter. This time, he chose Hedwig again. He stroked her feathers gently and she gave him the stink eye.

”Sorry, sorry,” he apologised as he tied the letter to her leg. She gave him a more painful nip on the ear than usual, before fluffing her feathers and taking off.

Harry watched her go silently, then made his way out of the Owlery.

_ **A few days later...** _

”Right!” Skull said far too cheerfully for anything to be good. “Moody had some stuff to do, so he had me take over! A upper class was doing whatever and thought using their free period of _studying _would be a good time for paper aeroplanes and doodling and hexes, so they will be joining us in our training session!”

Harry was torn in thirds, as were the rest of the class. Part of them felt sorry for the upperclassman, another part felt a sadistic glee in finding out others would be suffering with them, and the final part just felt horror on having Skull as a teacher again.

”To the Quidditch pit!” Skull yelled loudly.

People began to slowly troop towards the pitch, knowing full well if they tried to run, Skull would send Oodako and Leon after them. They spoke from experience.

At the pitch, they saw Cedric Diggory’s class waiting for them with Reborn. Skull grinned and bounced forward.

”Right! Partner up! First are the warm ups! 50 sit ups!”

Everyone scrambled for partners, and Harry found himself somehow paired with Cedric. They nodded at each other and Cedric got down on the ground, Harry sat on his feet. Reborn began to count as Skull walked around, looking for laggers.

”One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven-”

”You’re lagging!” Skull yelled, pointing at Goyle. “Everyone starts again from one!”

There was a collective groan and everyone glared at Goyle. Reborn started counting again.

”One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven...”

Afterwards, they were forced to run around the pit as Skull set up a parkour.

_ **SWITCHING POVS...** _

”...vat are they doing?” Krum asked a passerby Hogwarts students as he watched the students run.

”Hm? What?” the student asked, looking in the direction he was looking at. A flicker of pity passed over the students face. “Ah,” he said. “Lessons with Skull and Reborn.”

”Those... are lessons?” Krum asked.

”Yup. But we students call it Hell. Reborn and Skull say that we rely too much on magic, on not enough on our physical strength so... yea. That happened.”

_ **SWITCHING POVS...** _

”If it’s so easy,” a student grumbled as Skull yelled at them again for not being fast enough on the parkour, “why don’t you go ahead and do it, Professor?”

There was silence, and the student looked up, then realised everyone was looking at him. It seemed Skull had overheard him. Skull blinked.

”Actually, good idea,” he said. “Alright. I’ll go, and then Reborn will go. A student can man the watch, so you can’t say we cheated.”

Jaws dropped. They hadn’t actually _meant_ that... but it would be pretty good to see the teacher fail for once. Skull lined up at the starting line, handing a student the stopwatch. That student happened to be Hermione, Who’s thankfully knew how to use a stopwatch.

Skull did a few warm ups and jogged lightly on the spot. Oodako held up his motorcycle helmet and Skull took it with a smile. He put it on and have Hermione a nod.

”Ready,” she said, her voice quivering a little. “Set... GO!”

Skull took off at a sprint. While Harry was no genius in physics, he was pretty sure people couldn’t accelerate like that instantly. So either Skull was using magic, or he was simply inhuman.

Skull leapt over the fence, under and over the falling barrels, hopped through the trapdoors leading to the mud pit in a breeze and through the tires and whizzed through the monkey bars easily. He slid beneath the paintballs and when they were too low to dodge, he weaved through them like it was the easiest thing to do.

Then he came to a stop in front of the students, and Hermione belatedly paused the timer.... which was still a clear eight seconds ahead of anyone else. Skull took of his helmet, and Harry notes dimly that the teacher was barely even winded.

”Right!” he said, and pushed Reborn to the starting line. “Your turn Ren~”

Hermione was once again the timer. “Go!”

This time, they could barely even see Reborn. Jaws dropped, and the entire parkour was finished in 25 seconds. (It was a rather long parkour). The fastest any student had gotten was 1 minutes and 6 seconds. Skull had gotten 56 seconds. (Adding on the time Hermione had missed). And yet, Reborn had been much, _much_ faster. But...

”Do you think Fon could have don’t it faster?” Skull asked Reborn, frowning.

”Possibly,” Reborn answered, smoothing out the nonexistent creases in his suit.

_What kind of monster friends do these guys have?! _many people wondered.

_ _

_ **Sometime that night... or is is it even later...?** _

”Sirius!” Harry said, breaking into a grin. “How’re you doing? Is... something wrong?”

Sirius looked serious. No pun intended. He pursed his lips, and sighed.

”It doesn’t matter for now. How are you?”

”I’m...” Harry couldn’t bring himself to say he was fine. And then, before he could stop himself, he was spilling about everything. “...and now Hagrid’s just shown me what’s coming in the first task, and it’s dragons, Sirius, I’m a goner.”

”Dragons we can deal with,” Sirius said in amusement. “However, I have to warn you about something.”

”What is it? And how’s fireplace are you using?”

”My place. What, thought I had nowhere to go? Anyway, that’s not important. That person who put your name in the fireplace, the one that teacher, Reborn, saw. I think it might have been Karkaroff, he was a Death Eater, you know.”

Harry thought about this, but then shook his head slowly.

”No... I don’t think so. Judging by what I know of Reborn, he isn’t someone who’ll put mere kids in danger. Take what he did for Hermione for example. He might be tough while training, but... he and Skull are pretty nice otherwise. I think Reborn would have said something if the person even remotely resembled Karkaroff.”

Sirius nodded, frowning.

”Which brings us to our second topic. Alphard. He was my favourite uncle. Got himself blasted off the family tree way back when I was a kid.”

Sirius hesitated, and Harry waited for him to continue. “He had a son, my cousin, called Rigel. He was in my year at Hogwarts. A few things... happened when we were in fifth year. People were scared, Harry, and they started to point fingers. In our sixth year, Rigel had a hard time. No one believed him when he said he didn’t do all those things they accused him of.”

Sirius saw Harry’s face and elaborated. “Murder. Rape. Practising the Dark Arts. Well, no one except our little group and Alphard and a handful of others. But, near the end of seventh year, Alphard was murdered. All signs pointed to Rigel being the murderer. Of course, we didn’t believe it. He was framed, we were sure of it. But see, the Wizengamot take family murder and stuff pretty seriously. They sentenced him to Azkaban. See though, the thing is, Rigel... while at first, he was quiet, shy and just... _there_, never saying anything, once he got fired up, he _really_ got fired up.

”He made all these complaints, found hidden flaws where trained wizards couldn’t find them in the scene of crime. Had an alibis that no one bothered to look at. But then, one day, he just- disappeared. There was a wild goose chase over the country, where it was said he’d killed and raped even more people. We didn’t believe them. A bounty was pit up. The money started mounting. And then... his body turned up. In a lake. Covered in knife wounds and bullet holes.”

Sirius heaved a gasp of breath, and Harry realised his godfather was crying. “Rigel... Rigel was just... _dead. _That goddamn adrenaline junkie of an idiot was _dead_. He was more a brother to me than Regulus ever was. Skeeter didn’t make things any better during his trials. But what that’s got to do with your teacher, I haven’t a clue.”

There was silence for a few seconds, which Sirius soon broke, muttering something about, ‘he never liked silence’. Then Harry heard footsteps coming down the stairs behind him.

”Go!” he hissed at Sirius. “Go! There’s someone coming!”

_ **Monday Morning...** _

”The first task is dragons.”

”What?” Cedric asked, looking confused.

”Dragons,” Harry said hurriedly. “They’ve got four, one for each of us, and we’ve got to get past them.”

”Are you sure?” Cedric asked in spa hushed voice.

”Dead sure, I’ve seen them,” Harry replied.

”But... how did you find out? We’re not supposed to know...”

”Never mind that,” Harry said hastily. “But I’m not the only one who knows. Fleur And Krum will know by now too. Maxime and Karkaroff both saw too.”

Cedric looked faintly suspicious.

”Why are you telling me?” he asked, and Harry blinked.

”Well, it’s just... fair, isn’t it?” he asked Cedric. “We all know now, we’re on even footing.”

Cedric looked at him for a moment, and then sighed.

”Blimey,” he said in a whisper. “Dragons...”

”Well,” Harry said absently. “After going through lessons with Skull and Reborn, I don’t think I’m so scared anymore.”

Cedric laughed at that.

”Yea, that’s true. Those two are worse than dragons.”

Cedric nodded and the two parted quickly.

”That was a decent thing for you to do,” a voice said behind him.

Harry yelped and whirled around. Skull was there with his pet- familiar, Harry corrected himself -octopus called Oodako.

”P-Professor!” he stammered. “I- I didn’t-”

”Its fine,” Skull hummed. “I really don’t care what happens. So, found a way to get past the dragon yet?”

”N... no,” Harry admitted.

Skull hummed again, and Harry thought he saw someone moving out of the corner of his eye that looked suspiciously like Moody, but when he turned to check, there was no one there.

”Well, a good thing to always keep in mind is to stick with what you’re good at,” Skull said. “That’s what I always do, anyway.”

Harry looked at him curiously and said, “But... I haven’t got any strengths.”

”Nonsense!” Skull said. “I know a kid who was clumsy, no-good, and rather stupid at everything. Now look at him! He’s popular, has rather good grades, and is like, _the boss_!”

”...Quidditch,” Harry said dully. “That’s it, really.”

”Mhm. And you’re pretty good, apparently. McGonagall boasts a lot.”

”Yeah, but... I’m not allowed a broom. Just my wand...”

”Eh, true,” Skull said. “Well, what can you do with your wand then?”

”...cast spells...”

”Mhm. Come on, it’s not that hard to figure out. What do muggles think of magic? A flick of a stick and bam! You got what you need.”

Harry thought. Then it struck him. He was best at flying. He needed to pass the dragon in the air. What he needed was his Firebolt to do that. And for his Firebolt-”

Skull grinned, and said, “Well, looks like you got it.” He started to walk away.

”Wait! Professor! Why are you helping me...?”

”...I owe someone a favour. They asked me to keep you safe. I agreed. I’m not someone who breaks promises, kiddo.”

”Then... do you know someone called Rigel Black?”

Skull stiffened, and looked at Harry over his shoulder.

”...I’d stop looking for that person if I was you. He’s long dead and gone, kid.”

Then the strange man was gone, and Harry needed to go find Hermione. Fast.


	12. The first task and the problem!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Read the chapter heading, people.

Cedric had already gone out. Harry took a deep breath to calm his nerves as the crowd gasped, screamed, and cheered. This went on for about fifteen minutes, until the crowd went wild with cheers. This could only mean that Cedric had gotten the egg.

Fleur was up next. She was trembling badly. The process was the same. Cheers, screams, gasps and groans. Then, the minutes later, the crowd screamed and cheered again, and then it was Krum’s turn.

And Harry was alone. He waited, and waited, for what felt like hours but was most likely only a few minutes in reality. Then the crowd gave a roar of approval and it was Harry’s turn to go out. He took a breath, facing the exit of the tent, and he moved out.

”_Accio _Firebolt!”

_ **SWITCH POVS TO THE BEGINNING OF THE TASK...** _

”Hey, mind if we sit?” Skull asked cheerfully.

Hermione jumped, and shook her head, shifting to make room for Reborn and Skull. “Thanks!” Skull said, sitting down. Reborn sat down too.

”So, I’m guessing you’ll both be rooting for Harry?” Skull asked the other two-thirds of the trio of the school.

”Yes, of course,” Hermione said, nodding quickly. Ron merely grunted and Skull eyed him.

”...had a fight, did you?” he asked.

”Kids,” Reborn muttered, and Skull nudged him into silence gently.

Ron frowned and said reluctantly, “Yea...”

”Didn’t think whoever is doing this wanted the brat dead then?” Reborn asked.

”Renato!” Skull hissed as Ron fidgeted uncomfortably under Reborn’s look. “You’re making him uncomfortable.”

”Oh look!” Hermione interrupted quickly. “Cedric’s up first!”

”What you reckon he’s gonna do?” Skull murmured to Reborn as the Hogwarts crowd roared at the Hufflepuff.

”Well, how do you get past a dragon normally?” Reborn asked.

”...right. You don’t know either. Oh, he’s starting.”

Skull bellowed along with crowd as Cedric pulled out his wand and pointed to a large rock and it turned into a dog. Skull nodded at the plan. Get the dragon to go for the dog and try not to get eaten instead. Not very original, but a good diversionary tactic. It seemed to be working for the most part too.

...until the dragon got bored of chasing the dog and rounded on Cedric as he got within five meters of her eggs. She roared in anger and a jet of white hot flames came blasting out of her mouth. There were screams from all the spectators.

Then Cedric promptly managed to duck beneath the flames and come out rolling near the eggs. The tail almost got him instead. Skull groaned as Cedric was forced to jump back. He gripped Reborn’s arm in a death grip.

”Would you look at those acrobatics!” Bagman was yelling. “Good looking, smart _and_ fit! A real catch for the ladies, eh?”

Skull whimpered as Cedric flipped over the dragon’s swiping claws. Reborn grimaced at the tight grip Skull had on him. Then Skull forgot to breathe as Cedric dove at the egg and managed to get away with it- but not before a beam of Fire almost scorched his face. Luckily it only got as close to give him a minor burn.

Skull gave a loud sigh of relief as his grip relaxed on Reborn and he slumped bonelessly onto his seat.

”Well, at least those swinging axes and firewalls did something to help,” Skull said weakly, and Reborn nodded indulgently, patting Skull’s hand, and the two watched as Cedric was given 38 points for his effort.

Next up was the Beauxbaton girl. Skull watched with a bit less trepidation. She put a spell on the dragon, and it seemed to fall asleep after a while of just watching her wave around her wand and sing a song. She did manage to get the egg, but her skirt caught on fire when the dragon snored and a jet of flames shot out of its nose. Skull grimaced as she gave a shriek, but was impressed when she regained her level-headedness a few seconds later and put out the flame with a jet of water from her wand.

She was given 35 points. Then it was the Durmstrang Champion. Skull watched with raised eyebrows as the boy shot a spell with rather good accuracy at the dragon. It hit the dragon’s eye and it roared in pain as it stumbled around. Skull had to admit the boy was rather good at dodging the flailing talons. Perhaps it was because he didn’t wish to get squished... however, Skull almost had a murderous frenzy when half the gas were squished. That damned boy just had to do something stupid like that and squish the eggs! Damnit!

Krum, however, was given 40 points. A whole ten marks from Karkaroff too. Skull almost leapt up and killed the ex-Death Eater at this obviously biased treatment.

Finally though, _finally_, it was Harry’s turn. And, despite everyone mocking him before, they were cheering for him too. Apart from most of the Slytherin students. Skull watched with mouthing anticipation as Harry raised his wand and shouted something they couldn’t hear. A few seconds later though, a broomstick shot towards him and then he was off.

Harry went around the dragon’s head, round and round, and Skull was faintly reminded of a buzzing mosquito. Then he shook away the thought as the dragon roared and shot fire. Harry dodged, but the tail came up to meet him instead and Skull winced in sympathy as blood sprang from the wound. Then, the dragon’s patience snapped and it flew towards Harry and the two went out of sight. Skull blinked, then glanced at Reborn.

”Well, that was-” Skull began to say, but then Harry came swooping back and caught the Golden Egg safely in his hands.

Skull shot up in a cheer along with hundreds of other students. In the end, Harry was bustled to the infirmary tent. After that, he was given 40 points- the same as Krum. However, he was given a 4 by Karkaroff, and Skull actually did go storm towards the Headmaster who stumbled back in fear as Skull’s eyes flowed purple.

However, Reborn caught Skull around the waist and held him back with, to Reborn’s surprise, with a bit of difficulty. For once, being the one who held his significant other back from attacking then being the one held back.

But apart from that, it was pretty good. Ron and Harry made up, and all was well. Or so it seemed.

_ **SWITCHING POVS, A BIT AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE YULE BALL...** _

Skull whined loudly.

”But I don’t wanna wear a dress robe!” he grumbled to Dumbledore.

”Well,” Dumbledore said, thinking, “you could wear something similar to a robe.”

”I’ll do that then!” Skull said, peeking up. “I’ll get people to send over... a kimono or something!”

Reborn hummed, and nodded.

”We could do that,” he said.

”Alright,” Dumbledore said warily. “Then, I’ll leave it to you. Good day.”

Skull waved as Dumbledore walked away tiredly. Then he frowned at Reborn.

”So, we have another problem,” he said. “Owl Post is too slow, and the Yule Ball is really close. How are we gonna get the orders in on time?”

Reborn held up a phone, Skull raised an eyebrow. “Electronics don’t work in Hogwarts.”

”This one does,” Reborn said. “It seems Viper had a few acquaintances that could help Verde develop a device that could work with magic. He sent it to me, along with a video of Tsuna and his groups’ reactions of our relationship.”

Skull gaped.

”I have got to see that,” he said. “But for now, tell Tsuna we need something like kimonos- pronto.... please.”

”Of course, Bellissimo,” Reborn purred. He started to type.

_ **SWITCH POVS AGAIN...** _

Tsuna heard a ping from his phone, and almost dropped it when he saw it was from Reborn. He hesitated, the last time he’d gotten a message, it’d been to tell him that Skull and Reborn were now together...

There was another ping, and Tsuna grit his teeth and read the message.

_Reborn: Dame-Tsuna. There’s to be a ball held here. We need something similar to robes. Send in two kimonos._

_Reborn: Send me something ridiculous, and I will kill you._

_Tsuna: yes, Reborn_

_Reborn: hi tsuna!_

_Tsuna: sjfiocsjbvoa?!!?!?_

_Reborn: oh, this is skull_

_Tsuna: oh. Hello Skull_

_Reborn: for the kimonos, can u get me something in purple? White is good 2_

_Tsuna: ok_

_Reborn: hey, in a way, if I think about it, this is reborn and my first date!_

_Tsuna: ..._

_Reborn: wait... no... if I think about it, I think our first date was when we shot paintballs @ the students!_

_Tsuna: sigfisajevpoanzx_

_Reborn: r u ok?_

_Tsuna: I’m fine. K, can you give me your measurements or sizes?_

_Reborn: yup. Hold on._

_Reborn:** [insert appropriate sizes here, cause I don’t know how]**_

_Tsuna: k. Bye._

_Reborn: baiiii!_

Tsuna set his phone down and jumped when Chrome peered over his shoulder and read the messages.

”Eh? Skull needs a kimono? And Reborn too? First date...?”

”Ah, Chrome. Yea, Reborn and Skull need a kimono for this ball they have at their jobs. And in a way, it’s their first date.”

”...so, basically, someone needs a makeover,” Bianchi said as she came int with M.M.

Tsuna hesitated, and shook his head, saying, “No, just a kimono... and why is she-”

”Who needs a makeover?” M.M demanded.

”Who needs a kimono?” I-Pin asked as she came in with Fon. Tsuna began to wonder why the girls seemed to be gravitating towards his office at the moment. Did it have something to do with the words ‘makeover’ and ‘kimono’?

”Skull and Reborn,” Tsuna answered I-Pin.

”Hah? Skull needs a makeover?” Adelheid asked as she too, came in... through the window.

”Yes... AND WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ALL EVEN DOING HERE?!” Tsuna yelled, hitting his head against his table.

”Skull and Reborn... are going on a date?” Lal asked, raising an eyebrow. “First date?”

Tsuna gave up. He really gave up. He sighed and nodded. The girls in the room all had a silent conversation with their eyes. Tsuna frowned at Fon, who smiled and shrugged. Tsuna jumped as Lal slammed her hand down on his desk. Bianchi did the same.

”You’re sending us to wherever Skull is,” Bianchi said. “And you’re not gonna complain.”

Lal snorted and pulled out her phone.

”I can call Viper. They can probably take us to Skull.”

Tsuna almost cried as the girls began to arrange plans, running back and forth with various boxes and silks. Why was I-Pin carrying a parasol? And why was the normally very shy Chrome looking determined and fired up? Tsuna sighed, anime tears going down his face. Reborn was going to kill him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well... this was... unexpected...


	13. Friends in strange places

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls appear +Viper. The school freaks. Skull freaks. Reborn attempts to kill Tsuna through a phone. The guest schools are just weirded out.

It was the morning before the Yule Ball, and Skull was frowning at his plate of sausages. His and Reborn’s kimonos still hadn’t arrived yet...

However, rather abruptly, his musings were cut off as the Great Hall’s doors slammed open and a squad of females came barging in. His jaw dropped and Reborn sat up, frowning.

”Skull!” Lal yelled and he flinched, diving under the table.

”I don’t wanna die!” he yelled. “I swear I didn’t do whatever you think I did! I have proof! I was here the entire time! I couldn’t have been at Japan or Italy or wherever you were!”

”We’re not here for that,” Bianchi snorted. “We’re your make up team.”

”...huh?”

Adelheid dragged Skull out of his hiding spot and Reborn got up from his seat, his hand moving towards his gun.

”Oh, sit down,” Lal snapped. “We’re not gonna do anything bad. Also, you’re next.”

Reborn blinked as Skull was dragged of screaming by the girls. Then I-Pin, Viper, (was Viper a girl or were they just here for transportation?), came back along with Chrome, and I-Pin and Chrome ushered Reborn away too, much to his bemusement.

Everyone in the hall blinked, looking at each other like ‘what the hell just happened?’

_ ** WITH THE GIRLS AND SKULL...  
** _

”Make your hair darker,” Lal demanded and Skull did as told.

”...try blonde,” M.M said. “And a bit longer.”

”...nope, that looks horrible,” everyone said. “Go back to black, but this time make it curly.”

”No... black, long, but not too long. Curled near the ears, make the fringe and sideburns longer... side fringe... hm... like Hibari’s hair but longer,” Chrome ordered, and went behind Skull, grabbed some of his hair and tied it into a small, loose bun with a jade pin. “How about this?”

”You’re surprisingly good at this,” Bianchi said.

”...having the mind of an illusionist helps,” Chrome said sheepishly.

”We’ll do the make up last,” said M.M, who had been chosen as unofficial director.

”The kimono is next...”

Skull felt like crying. Damn you Tsuna! He only wanted a kimono! Not a whole make up squad! ...though, thinking about it, it was more likely that the girls had forced Tsuna to send them without his consent...

“Skull, try this on.”

”...isn’t that a girls?!”

”No, it’s just the design. It doesn’t have a chest area. It’s for boys.”

”How did this become my life...?”

”Mou, I have an idea. Skull, you can wield a katana, right?”

”...the fuck, how did you know.”

”I went snooping in your room for information and who you were. Long story short- I found out who you were. It appears you took lessons when you were younger. I also found out you were giving other kids lessons in the past few years.”

”...damn you, Viper. Damn you.”

_ **WITH REBORN...** _

He frowned in annoyance as Lal came out of his room, looking suspiciously happy.

”Where’s Skull?” he demanded, trying to peer over her shoulder. She clicked her tongue.

”Nuh-uh. You don’t get to see him till the ball. He’s out with Adel and Bianchi. And now...”

Reborn suddenly had a bad feeling as Lal smiled far too sweetly for anything to be good. “It’s your turn.”

Reborn was suddenly regretting his life decisions. Damn it... and he hadn’t even gotten to bang Skull once.

_ **WITH HARRY, RON, AND HERMIONE...** _

The snowball fight was going rather well... until one of the ball hit a tall girl who took it for a... Harry gaped. So did the Weasleys and Hermione.

”Who... is _that_?” Fred asked.

_That _happened to be a very good looking person. Boy or girl, they weren’t very certain. They wore a sort of elegant robe. Then Harry realised it wasn’t really a robe, and he remembered seeing a couple of people wearing it in the past, and they’d called it a kimono and a haori of something...

The person had hair reaching to the back of his neck in messy, yet stylish locks of black. A thin sword hung at their waist, and a fan with two long tassels was held in their hand. There was a wide, purple sash around their waist. The kimono itself had wide sleeves and was a solid purple, with white flowers sewn at the edges. The haori was a pale purple, with even paler cloud patterns on the back.

And their eyes... hadn’t Harry seen those eyes before?

”Professor Skull?!” Hermione suddenly called out in shock.

What? Where? Then Harry realised she was talking about the person wearing the kimono as the person raised a hand and waved, heading over to them over the snow.

”Hello!” he called cheerfully, and the tell girl who’d been hit by the ball glowered at them.

”Profes... Skull, I mean, you look... really good,” Hermione said. Skull laughed awkwardly.

”Ah, it’s thanks to my... uh, friends. Ah, this is Adelheid and I-Pin.”

”Be more careful,” Adelheid snapped. “You almost ruined our hard work.”

”Hello,” I-Pin greeted softly.

”Hello,” the boys + Hermione greeted, until she glanced at the time and got up from her spot.

”Ah, I need to go get ready now,” she said.

”What, you need three hours?” Ron asked in disbelief as she walked away. “Who’re you going with?!”

”Ah, leave her be,” Skull said, laughing lightly. “So, who are you two going with?”

”The Patil twins,” Harry answered. “What about you, Professor?”

”Just Skull is fine, Harry. And I’m obviously going with Reborn.”

”Obviously,” Adelheid mumbled.

Harry stared at Skull for a few moments, frowning. Strangely, the rather pretty teacher reminded him of someone...

”Well, I’d best be off then,” Skull said. “I have to go help set up the ball, see you guys later!”

Harry waved back automatically as the teacher hurried away with his friends. Then he glanced at Ron, who looked back at him with furrowed brows.

”Didn’t he kind of... remind you of Padfoot?” Ron asked slowly, and Harry realised with a jolt, yes, Skull had reminded him a lot of Sirius.

Not for the first time, Harry had a feeling there was something more to the mysterious DADA teacher’s assistant. 


	14. Extra!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Vongola’s and +several others react to Skull and Reborn’s relationship...  
Hehehe...

Tap, tap, tap...

”Is that your owl?” Takeshi asked Chrome, who shook her head.

”It has something on its feet,” Chrome observed. “It looks like a letter. Should we let it in?”

”...Alright,” Tsuna sighed as everyone looked at him. He got up and opened the window, the owl flew in and held out its leg towards Tsuna.

Tsuna hesitated, and untied the letter. The owl flew over and nestled on the couch, waiting expectantly. Tsuna warily looked at the letter with dread as he recognised the handwriting. “It... it’s from Reborn,” he said.

”What’s it say?” Dino asked curiously. Tsuna opened the letter and cleared his throat to read. Then he scanned it over, turned pale, screeched loudly, and threw the letter away.

”Hey!” Colonello yelped, grabbing the letter. “What’s wrong?”

Then he too, read the letter and gaped. “Holy shit...”

”What is say?” Gokudera asked in annoyance. “Give me that.”

He swiped the letter and read it. Then he swore loudly.

”Read it,” Lal ordered. “_Out loud_.”

”R-right,” Gokudera said. “Uh... it says...

”_Dame-Tsuna. This is Reborn. I’m writing because Skull told me to tell the lot of you idiots about our new relationship. While I didn’t want to bother, I thought of the chaos and- _here the writing sort of veers off. I think Skull dragged it away from him. Skull’s writing here -_hello you guys! This is Skull. Reborn was getting a bit boring, so I’m writing instead!_

_”Anyway, about what, here it is. Reborn and I are together! Surprise!”_

Gokudera stopped here as everyone in the room had varying reactions.

Tsuna whimpered, and started rocking back and forth, muttering, “I didn’t read it wrong. I didn’t read it wrong!”

Takeshi blinked, his smile slipping and his eyes wide. He asked, “Is... this a joke?”

Lal swore loudly, and Colonello gaped, his mind having gone blank. Verde’s glasses cracked and his face read [404 Error. File Not Found]. Dino gave a shriek and cried, “Who’d want to willingly date the reincarnation of Satan himself?!”

Lambo had started to wander around the room, his eyes unseeing and muttering, “Dream. This is a dream. Yes. I must be having a bad dream. Not funny... not funny at all...”

Chrome mostly looked confused and pleased for Skull at the same time. Confused because of everyone else’s reactions. She shrugged, thinking, ‘well, as long as they’re happy’. 

And so on. However...

”About time,” Fon said in amusement and all eyes turned to him disbelievingly.

”You _knew_?” Colonello asked. Fon blinked.

”I thought it was rather obvious,” he said.

”My sanity,” Tsuna sobbed into Gokudera’s shoulder. “My poor, poor sanity.”

Verde snatched the letter from Gokudera and looked at the date written at the corner of the page. He clicked his tongue.

”So slow. And there’s more.

”_Anyway, I hope you guys are alright and in good health. Have Lal and Colonello-Senpai decided on the wedding date yet? _Then it goes back to Reborn. _I’m writing this outside the Owlery. Dame-Tsuna, send me more bullets. I’m running out of them. Tell Verde to make a device that works with magic and doesn’t blow up. Get Viper to help. If Viper tries to charge you, put the fee on my tab. Don’t be stupid. Don’t die while I’m away. Chaos._ That’s it.”

Everyone glanced at each other, and Verde sighed, nodding at Viper. “Let’s get to it then.”

”Mou, I’m going to charge Reborn and Skull for this,” Viper muttered, following Verde.

”...Reborn... and Skull... are together... the world is ending...” Colonello mumbled.

”Shut up,” Lal snapped.


	15. The Yule Ball [Part 1]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reborn is stunned, Skull is embarrassed, and the entirety of the three schools is absolutely gobsmacked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the second chapter of the day... and is dedicated to ThanosIsABigAssPrick. Happy birthday!

Reborn frowned at himself in the mirror. Well, not at himself, but the people reflected in the mirror.

“Are we done?” he asked irritably. The girls glanced at each other, looking him up and down. Then they nodded.

“Yup, we’re done here,” M.M decided. “Good job, girls. Now... let’s go get I-Pin and Adelheid and hightail out of here.”

“No need, we’re here,” Adelheid said as she entered with I-Pin.

“Oh good, where’s Skull?” Chrome asked.

“Outside. He’s helping to set up the place.”

The girls plus Viper nodded and linked arms.

“Well, we have to go now. Good luck on your date!” I-Pin said as Viper warped them away. Reborn sighed as he watched them go, then decided to go look for Skull.

As he walked through the halls, students, ghosts, and teachers alike gaped. Reborn smirked, internally preening at the attention. Then he wondered how Skull would react and a brief flash of worry went through him before he squashed it down. No, he wasn’t nervous! He was the world’s greatest hitman! He didn’t do nervous!

He stopped a passing female student who flushed red.

“Y-yes?!” the girl yelped, blushing furiously.

“My apologies if I startled you,” Reborn said smoothly. “Do you happen to know where Skull is at the moment?”

The girl blushed, then seemed to comprehend what Reborn had said, and her jaw dropped.

”P-Professor Reborn?!” she yelled in shock, attracting everyone’s attention.

”No way!” a Slytherin girl hissed, obviously on her way to dress up for the ball. “_That’s_ the _muggle_?!”

There were several echoes of disbelief and shock. Reborn raised an eyebrow.

”Well? Skull?” he prompted, and the girl nodded, still a brilliant shade of red.

”I, uh, think he’s at the Great Hall, helping the other professors with the decoration and stuff,” she mumbled. Reborn nodded in thanks and hurried away.

At the Great Hall, he hesitated for a split second, Leon nuzzled his neck from his shoulder and Reborn strode in. He stopped for a moment to marvel at the sight before him, before McGonagall spotted him.

”Ah, is that you, Reborn?” she asked, looking stunned.

”Yes, have you seen Skull?” Reborn questioned, and McGonagall pointed.

“Over there, with his octopus...”

Reborn looked to where she was pointing, and his mouth went dry. Skull looked absolutely _amazing. _Reborn hurried over to him, allowed Leon to slip over to Oodako, before lacing his arms around Skull’s waist and smirking next to his ear.

”Well, you look rather well-dressed. I could just eat you up, Bellissimo,” he purred in a sultry voice.

Skull gave a shriek, whipping around and ears red. Reborn swallowed as Skull’s face came into view.

The only make up he had on was a bit of mascara to bring out his eyes. His hair was now black, and fell in a stylish mess to the back of his neck, some of it had been brought into a bun by a jade pin. The scarf around Skull’s shoulders had moved a little, revealing a pale, enticing neck that Reborn _just couldn’t wait to mark._

_”Ren_!” Skull said, “don’t scare me like that! And what the hell does that word _mean_?”

”Which word?” Reborn asked, slipping an arm around Skull’s waist, much to the other’s embarrassment.

”Th-the one, you know... Bellismo...?”

”Bellissimo,” Reborn corrected. “It means gorgeous.” Reborn leaned in, nuzzling Skull’s neck, and prompting out a squeak. “You’re gorgeous...”

Skull somehow managed to turn an even darker shade of red, which Reborn found rather cute and amusing. Then-

“Take that somehwere else you two!” Flitwick called in good nature. “You’ll have plenty of time for that later tonight!”

The two broke apart- Skull flushed a deep scarlet and Reborn smirking openly.

”Everyone, take your seat please,” Dumbledore said as he swept in through the side door with the two other Headmasters. “The ball is about to begin.”

There was a small bustle as they took their seats and McGonagall went for the Champions.

Skull glanced at Reborn, who looked back, and smirked.

_ **SWITCHING POVS...** _

“Holy shit,” someone mumbled. “The muggle is goddamn hot.”

”Was Professor Skull always that pretty?”

Harry shook his head and suppressed the smile that threatened to appear on his face as he sat down. No one was attempting to be at least discreet in their mutterings, and it seemed the two teacher’s at the subject of the discussion could hear everything. Dinner began.

”Harry,” Skull said warmly. “You’re looking well.”

”Ah, thank you,” Harry said, glad that he teacher had interrupted Percy’s ramblings. Skull gave him a grin, and Harry realised it’d been done on purpose. “...you look... different.”

”Ah, I guess it’s because of the piercings and stuff, eh? Makes me look older, doesn’t it?” Skull laughed, and Harry nodded. “Well, that was the point of it, really. Never really liked showing my face to others. Made me feel vulnerable. Well, not anymore though. It’s just a ha it more than anything.”

”That and I don’t like you wearing make up,” Reborn interrupted, leaning towards Skull. “Makes you seem... fake. I don’t like it.”

Skull flushed red, and turned away hurriedly, clearing his throat.

”Yea!” he said, his voice a bit higher than normal. “Yea, that too.”

After a bit, Dumbledore waved his wand and the chairs and table zoomed away to the sides, and the Weird Sisters trooped on stage. Parvati tugged Harry to his feet and Skull gave him a little wave of good luck as the Weird Sisters struck up a slow, mournful tune.

_ **SWITCHING POVS AGAIN...** _

Skull hummed along a little to the song, before Reborn abruptly got up and turned towards Skull holding out a hand.

”May I have this dance?” Reborn asked, smiling gently.

Skull stared at the smile for a few seconds- he’d never seen Reborn smile like that before. Smirk, yes. Sneer, sometimes, but smile...?

”I, I actually can’t dance, I think I’ll step on your toes a few times,” Skull said, embarrassed.

”Not to worry, I’ll lead,” Reborn said determinedly, and Skull hesitantly took the offered hand, setting down his katana and fan.

Several people looked startled as Reborn tugged Skull to the floor. “Put your hand on my shoulder, and hold my hand with the other one,” Reborn instructed. “And just go along with me.”

Seeing the two go onto the floor, several more hesitant pairs took to the dance floor and started to waltz.

Skull wasn’t a very good dancer, the lessons in his past hadn’t helped at all, seeing as it’d been quite a few years since the last one. However, Reborn held him gently, and led him near the corner of the floor where they just swayed.

Skull decided he quite liked this and hummed, smiling up at Reborn. Reborn smiled back down and Skull put his ear to Reborn’s chest, and the hitman drew him in until they were practically hugging, but still swaying lightly.

The students and teachers all decided to give the pair some space. Even Malfoy knew better than to disturb the peaceful pair.


	16. The Yule Ball [Part 2]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reborn and Skull catch a bug

After a while, Skull pulled away as the song took a more partying theme.

”Come on, we have something to do,” Skull whispered.

”Oh?” Reborn asked. “And what could that be?”

Skull dragged Reborn towards the gardens.

”...Rita Skeeter,” he said shortly.

”Who?” Reborn asked.

”...a witch I hate. She’s a journalist under the Daily Prophet. Spins tails so high that they go into space. She’s ruined hundreds with her lies, and sent more spiralling into despair.”

”...you speak from experience?” Reborn asked darkly and Skull faltered. After all this time, he’d forgotten that Reborn was the best of the best, and picked up even the smallest hints that he’d never meant to give.

”...yes. She wrote an article on me called ‘the treacherous deeds of the son of Alphard Black. She’s here somewhere. She’s got to be.”

”Where would she be? And how could she have gotten in?”

”She’s an animagus. Never got to prove it, because I was on the run, but she is one. A bug to be precise, that’s how she gets all her scoops. Quick- hide!”

The two ducked behind a bush as Hagrid and Maxime came into view. Out of the corner of his eye, Skull saw the bush opposite them rustle, and saw two familiar faces through the leaves. Ron and Harry, it seemed, had unintentionally barged into this talk.

Skull’s eyes narrowed suddenly as Harry’s gaze was fixated on a rather large bug. It seemed Skeeter was here, then. Skull listened silently to Hagrid and Maxime’s conversation, and his dread started to grow. Then, as Maxime stormed off and Hagrid looked after her, crestfallen, before he too left, Skull lunged forward towards the student’s bush.

The two boys gave a yell of surprise, but Skull ignored them for the time being of snatching the bug out of the air. He grinned.

”Gotcha,” he said, and Reborn came out of the bush slowly, peering over his shoulder.

”P-Professor?!” Harry said, blinking rather furiously.

”Yup, hey kiddo. Wassup?” Skull asked.

”...the bug...” Ron said.

”Oh!” Skull said, looking at his closed fist and shaking it violently. “Not a bug! Rita Skeeter! Let’s go find Dumbledore!”

Harry and Ron blinked as Skull sped away, Reborn merely sighed in fond exasperation and followed his cute little Lackey.

_ **INSIDE THE HALL...** _

The doors suddenly slammed open and Skull came in with a large grin.

”Hey! Professor Dumbledore! Look what I caught!”

Dumbledore looked bemused as the (not really) teenager came towards him, looking very please with himself.

”Is something wrong, Skull?” Dumbledore asked, and Skull shook his head, still grinning.

”Nope!” he said in sing-song voice. “In fact, nothing could be better! Watch, watch!”

Skull grabbed Reborn’s hand and handed him something, which Reborn held firmly. Skull then pointed his wand at the something in Reborn’s hand. Then there was a bang! and... Rita Skeeter was sitting on the floor where Reborn had dropped her. Skull grinned at Dumbledore who smiled back, then looked at Skeeter.

”Hello, Miss. Skeeter,” he said. “Fancy seeing you here.”

Skeeter looked dishevelled, and when she realised what was going on, she paled drastically.

”I- Dumbledore, this is... trust me, this isn’t what it looks like,” she said.

”Well, I think we’ll let the Ministry deal with this, shall we go inform them of what happened? After all, I’m sure you’d prefer their judgement over a ‘senile old coot’.”

Needless to say, Skull was very happy that night.

_ **LATER THAT NIGHT...** _

”...Skull,” Reborn said softly as they got ready for bed.

”Hmm?” Skull asked.

”...I have a feeling I don’t know who you are really,” Reborn confessed in a low voice. “I... I like you. I really do. Whenever I look at you, I want to smuggle you away and take you somewhere away from everything. From the mafia. From this... magic. And everything that you don’t like. I want to kill everyone who hurt you. But I... I can’t stop feeling that you’re still hiding. Putting on a mask and pretending everything’s fine and nothing is wrong. I really don’t like this feeling, Skull.”

Skull was silent. Then he shifted onto his side and hugged Reborn. The two stayed like that, until Skull opened his mouth to speak.

”...sorry,” he whispered in a hollow voice. “It’s just... I’ve had this act on for so long that... I really don’t know where ‘Skull’ ends and just... ‘me’ begins. Everything... everything’s all just a big blur to me now. But, one thing is for certain, Renato. I really do like you. I like you a lot.

”...when I turned fifteen, there was a series of murders at Hogwarts. Three of them... were my friends, the others, I’d become rather close acquaintances with. At first, it wasn’t clear who’d done it. But then... see, a student swore they saw someone with purple eyes hurrying away from the murder scene. At first, the student hadn’t thought much of it, until he saw the body.

”I... was the only one with purple eyes. People began to suspect me. I said I didn’t do it. Then... then everyone around me started dying and I... I just _panicked_. People began to call me ‘cursed’ and I couldn’t... I just... went into despair. In sixth year, I pulled out early and did lol my work from home, with my Dad tutoring me. In seventh year, I had to go back for exams... and... the murders had stopped when I left... but when I came back, they started again. So, so I... I swore didn’t do it...

”There was a lawsuit after that. Trial, after trial, after trial. Then... I just... took things into my own hands and became my own lawyer. A bloody good one too. But... I guess... I guess I couldn’t take it. After I graduated I just... left. I didn’t leave a note behind. I didn’t tell anyone goodbye. I disappeared off the face of the earth.

”I became Skull de Mort, the immortal stuntman. Then... three years passed and I met you guys. The lot of you were really, really... different from me. You weren’t afraid. You could do everything. And I just... I just really liked being a part of your group, even if I was just the Lackey...”

There was silence, and Reborn realised Skull was crying. Tears stained Reborn’s shirt, but he found he didn’t mind. The hitman sighed and pressed a kiss to Skull’s head.

No words were spoken, but there didn’t need to be any said. Because sometimes, all you need is a shoulder to lean on, not someone to try comfort you.


	17. The second task!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second task, and Skull takes a walk to get away for a few hours.

This time, the task was rather boring to watch. Skull sighed as his eyes dropped sleepily. People were chattering away, playing games, or showing off their newly learnt spells to their friends. His hands were clasped tightly together with Reborn’s, though the hitman didn’t seem to mind this at all.

”Look!” someone suddenly yelled and Skull was awake in an instant. His eyes scanned the waters of the lake and-

Cedric Diggory popped up, pulling a girl behind him. Skull applauded and cheered along with everyone else in the crowd.

Skull ran over with Reborn to help Cedric out of the water and Skull summoned two blankets to wrap around the two’s shoulder.

”Well done,” Skull said, grinning. “You’re the first one apart from Fleur. But she was disqualified.”

”Thanks,” Cedric said, panting. “I saw Harry. He was waiting for Krum and Fleur. Guarding the hostages, I think.”

”Tch, idiot,” Reborn said and Skull swatted his arm lightly.

”Don’t be mean. I’ll bet you Tsuna would have done the same.”

”Yes,” Reborn sighed. “My No-good student would do something like that.”

Skull rolled his eyes and waved his wand, drying off the two dripping wet teenagers quickly. “Come on, let’s watch for the rest of the Champions.”

They waited for a while again. And Skull got sleepy again. Then a shark head erupted from the water, before turning into Krum and Skull gaped. Then he laughed loudly as people cheered again.

Skull clapped too, though less than before. He hummed and helped the boy up too, and grinned at the dazed looking Hermione. He handed her a hot chocolate.

”There ya go. You look like you need something to warm you up,” he said.

”Thank you,” Hermione mumbled. Skull grinned, and waved his wand again. The two of them dried of instantly.

”Now then!” Skull said happily. “Let’s all wait for Harry, shall we?”

And wait they did. Skull though, was a bit too jittery now to fall asleep as he peered into the lake. Oodako patted Skull’s head comfortingly, and Skull laughed a little.

”Yes, yes, you’re right. I’m sure they’re fine. And thank you for letting them use your territory,” Skull said, stroking Oodako’s head. “...and thank you for not killing Dumbledore when he asked.”

Oodako made a strange sound that Skull was pretty sure the octopus version of an exasperated huff. Reborn suddenly straightened up, pointing.

”Ah, I think that’s them,” he said.

”Where?!”

Skull peered at a small splash and grinned as Harry began to swim over. Then he blinked. Why was the kid holding onto two kids instead of one?

”...hey... isn’t that Fleur’s sister...?” Skull asked slowly. Fleur heard him and leapt up, then she dove back into the water to help Harry pull the two hostages out of the lake. Skull blinked, then sighed, waiting for the four to reach shore.

Then when they r ached land, Skull and Reborn dragged them up and Skull dried them off, handing them hot chocolate as well.

”Well,” Skull said drily, “this was an unexpected result.”

He turned to Reborn as Fleur began to thank Harry and Ron and then Skull spotted the mermaids at the shore, patiently waiting for Dumbledore. Skull walked over to them and crouched down, grinning. Oodako slid down from Skull’s head and chirped at the merman. Said merman looked at the octopus and began to make weird, rasping noises that sounded like quiet screaming.

Then Oodako turned to Leon, and relayed the message. Leon nodded and turned to Skull and began to change into various shapes.

First, a pair of glasses and a lightning bolt-

“Harry?” Skull guessed, and Oodako nodded. Then Leon changed into a large glove with the number one on it. “Uh... arrived first.” Another nod. Then a stop sign and medal. “Hm... a bit harder but... waited for the other champions...?”

Leon nodded before changing again, with Skull and Reborn both guessing rather fluently at the impromptu game of charades.

”Ok, so in summary: Harry arrived first, but then stayed there to make sure the other Champions got there too. Cedric arrived next, using a bubble-head charm and took Cho and went. Then Krum arrived and took Hermione. Then when Fleur didn’t arrive, he took the girl and Ron and went off. That about it, Oodako?” Skull asked his familiar, who nodded.

Skull glanced up and saw Dumbledore arriving and quickly relayed the message. The Headmaster looked surprised, but nodded nonetheless and went to discuss this with the other judges.

_ **LATER AT NIGHT...** _

Skull through the Forbidden Forest, humming to himself as he walked. There was a crack behind him and Skull whirled around, wand at the ready. His Flames flickered up and down his arms and ran amok his magic, strengthening and enlarging the core. Then Skull blinked, looking at the centaur and he lowered his wand.

”Oh... hello,” he said politely. “Did I intrude on your land? My apologies.”

”...what are you doing in these parts of the forest?” the centaur asked.

”I was taking a walk. Needed to clear my head,” Skull said easily. “Nightmares aren’t very pleasant things, you know.”

The centaur looked at him sceptically, but then raised his head towards the stars and sighed.

”Rigel of Orion is rather bright, don’t you think?” he asked, and Skull raised his head too.

”...you know who I am, then?”

”Your soul is aged, but your face is not. Sirius appears to be dimming. Perhaps it is sad.”

Skull’s head snapped towards the centaur.

”What? Is he okay?” he asked, and the centaur looked at him carefully.

”...you are a curious case, Young Star,” he said, and Skull gave a wry grin.

”Yea, I’ve been told that a lot. Now... about Sirius...”

”Is the Potter boy alright?” the centaur asked, and Skull sighed. He should’ve known better than to ask a centaur a question.

”Yea, for the most part, at least. He’s got a good head- mostly. And good friends, he’ll...” Skull hesitated. For some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to say the word ‘fine’.

Because... long ago, hadn’t he himself been ‘fine’? Hadn’t he had wonderful friends and family too? He’d been happy both in the muggle world and the wizarding world. Sure he’d been ‘fine’ (or so he thought) but hadn’t he been missing something?

Skull sighed, putting a weary hand over his face. “Harry is okay. So long as he has the will, he’ll be able to get through anything.”

”I see,” the centaur hummed. “Then, what of you, Young Star? How are you?”

”...I’m okay,” Skull lied hollowly. He grinned then. “That’s a kind of obvious lie, huh? Well, I don’t really know, to be honest. When I was younger, I felt like I was missing something, but now that void is filled. But I feel kinda... itchy? Does that make sense? Like... I want- _need_ -to go somewhere, but I don’t know where. Do you know what I mean?”

”...I am afraid I do not,” the centaur admitted. “But I am sure your Sun will guide you to where you need to be.”

Skull gave the centaur a grin and stretched.

”Well! Thanks for the talk! I should get going now, see ya!”

”Goodbye.”

Skull walked away and as he walked out the forest, his grin grew smaller, but more genuine. He looked towards the East as the smallest rays of the sun began to peek through.

”...my Sun will guide me. Huh, it appears the centaurs know a lot more than they let on.”


	18. Of mazes and Crouch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Champions see the maze, and Reborn faces an invisible enemy.

“What the hell have they done?” Cedric asked in horror. Harry agreed wholeheartedly. The Quidditch pit had been planted with hedges, and as Quidditch fanatic, Harry couldn’t stand for it.

”Ah! There you two are! Over here, over here!” Bagman’s voice suddenly called, and the two Hogwarts students turned to look.

Bagman stood, waving at them enthusiastically with the other two champions by his side. Harry and Cedric glanced at each other before moving towards them.

”Hello, hello,” Bagman said, beaming. He waved towards the field. “The hedges are growing nicely, aren’t they?”

He spotted Harry and Cedric’s disgruntled looks and laughed. “Not to worry! You’ll have your field back soon! Now, can anyone guess the third task?”

There was silence, and then Krum grunted out, “Maze.”

”Right you are!” Bagman cried. “It’s a maze!”

”We ‘ave to get though a maze for ze third task?” Fleur asked dubiously.

”No, no,” Bagman said. “You have to get to the centre of the maze. Bypassing creatures- kindly donated by Hagrid -traps and riddles!”

Cedric and Harry glanced at each other, knowing full well what kind of creatures Hagrid raised. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw a black blur. He blinked and turned. No one was there... but... the hat was definitely Reborn’s fedora.

Garry shook the thought away and listened as Bagman spoke, and the champions were given time to walk through the maze.p, Bagman commenting here and there.

When the talk had ended, Harry made his way towards the Forbidden Forest, where the black blur had gone. He peered around the trees and looked around. Then he spotted him. Harry walked towards Reborn slowly, until Reborn sighed and turned around, raising an eyebrow.

”Did you want something?” he asked, and Harry suddenly felt embarrassed for trying to sneak up on the man.

“P-Professor,” Harry stuttered, then cleared his throat. “Ah, what are you doing out here?”

Reborn glanced at him, then turned back to where he was facing.

”My former student contacted me. He has a... skill, you see, something along the lines of clairvoyance, but not exactly. He said something would be happening here. Something important.”

”Something... important?” Harry asked hesitantly, and Reborn nodded in confirmation. There was silence, and then Harry spoke again. “Where’s Skull?”

Reborn snorted, shaking his head.

”Like I’d let the idiot know about something that might possibly end in bloodshed. While it never bothered him, it upsets him to see people die. Anyone. Even enemies,” Reborn said, and a soft look entered his eyes. “Idiot.”

Harry nodded slowly.

”Leon?”

”Oodako.”

Then Harry’s eyes snapped towards the trees, his hand plunging into his pocket for his wand. Reborn had noticed the slight movement too, and had drawn his gun faster than Harry could ever draw his wand.

Then, out from behind a tall oak tree, a man stumbled out. For a moment, Harry didn’t recognise the man, then.... he realised it was Mr. Crouch.

He looked like he’d been through better days. Reborn frowned.

”Isn’t he a judge?” he asked. “Bartemius Crouch?”

”Yea...” Harry said slowly, lowering his wand. Reborn, however, didn’t lower his gun and instead kept it trained on the man. Reborn saw Harry glance at the weapon, and he hit an looked at the lowered wand.

”Never lower your guard just because you know the person,” Reborn warned. “They could be being controlled or a spy.”

Harry nodded and raised his wand again, then he realised Crouch was... talking to the air. Harry frowned slightly.

”Mr. Crouch!” he called and Reborn glared at him. Harry ignored the man. “Mr. Crouch, are you alright?”

The man’s eyes were rolling in his head, and Reborn frowned too as the former judge twitched.

”Is this some sort of curse?” Reborn asked, and Harry shrugged.

”Not anything I’ve seen before. I should go get Dumbledore-”

”Dumbledore!” Crouch suddenly gasped, leaping forward and seizing Reborn’s shirt. The latter looked disgruntled and opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted. “I need... see... Dumbledore...”

”Okay,” Harry said slowly, and Crouch’s eyes looked towards him. “Mr. Crouch, let’s all go see Dumbledore, yeah? If you can just let go of Reborn, I’ll take you to Dumbledore.”

”Who... you?” Crouch rasped out.

Im a student at the school,” Harry said.

”You’re not... _his_?” Crouch asked, and Reborn sighed, and helped the stooping man stand up.

”He’s not right in the head. Mind break, possibly. I’ve seen it happen to a lot more people than I’d care to count,” he said. “Let’s get him to Dumbledore then.”

Harry nodded, reaching forward to help Reborn with Crouch, when Reborn’s head snapped up and his eyes darted towards the right. Harry opened his mouth to speak- when something hit him and he blacked out.

_ **POV SWITCH TO REBORN...** _

”Who’s there?” Reborn called, his voice harsh. “Show yourself!”

There was no answer, and he set down Crouch carefully next to Harry. Then he aimed his gun carefully. He couldn’t sense anyone’s flames. Well, he could... but it was muted. Just like...

”Ah, so you’re here then? Didn’t run off yet?” Reborn called out, moving his gun in the general direction of hidden Flames. He got no answer, and he shot his gun once.

There was a hiss, and Reborn smirked. “Come on, I already know who you are. I just need to figure out how you keep managing to sneak into the school grounds.”

”Damn muggle!” someone cried and Reborn dodged a streak of green light. He raised an eyebrow.

”Oh ho, not afraid to kill then? Too bad, I’m not afraid to kill either.”

Reborn dove towards the bleeding shadow and he collided with something. The two grappled around, and Reborn grabbed the wand and snapped it. There was a howl of rage and somehow the man found enough energy to throw Reborn off before scurrying away. Reborn didn’t bother giving chase, and merely looking after the shadow thoughtfully.

”Hm... Hogwarts is turning out to be a lot more interesting than I expected.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MUST READ. IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT UPDATE SCHEDULE.  
Hi guys, it’s Author here. So, most of you may have noticed I didn’t update yesterday. Thats because straight after school and homework and stuff, I had to go to kendo practice. Yea. I’m staring kendo now. It’s fun. So, I may or may not be able to update on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as they are my lesson days. Saturday is too, but I don’t have school on Saturday’s. Anyway, yea. Just letting you guys know. I’m not dead or anything. Yet.


	19. Family visits and warnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Weasleys and Skull gets a warning.

“This is most troubling...” Dumbledore sighed as Reborn told him what’d happened.

He’d dropped off Potter at the infirmary, but brought Crouch to the Headmaster. Dumbledore had tried to cast a spell to wake up Crouch, but it appeared the man was in a coma of sorts. Reborn had a guess as to what’d happened to the man though.

”The attacker shot a spell at Crouch while we were fighting. I didn’t notice it at the time, because the spell was almost invisible, but it was there,” Reborn said, thinking. “I’ve seen mind break before. The way Crouch acted before he fainted... mind break. There’s a high chance, if he ever breaks out of the coma, he won’t be the same.”

There was silence, and then Dumbledore sighed and nodded.

”Thank you for brining this to my attention, Reborn. I’ll send Mr. Crouch to St. Mungo’s. And... if it’s possible, please refrain from mentioning this to anyone. Even Skull.”

”...of course,” Reborn said. “However, if Skull chooses to ask, I will not withhold information.”

”I suspect that’s the best I can get out of you,” Dumbledore said wryly. “Thank you.”

Reborn nodded curtly and exited the office.

_ **FAMILY VISITS...** _

”Mrs. Weasley! Bill!” Harry said, his jaw dropping. “What are you doing here?”

”Well, we came here to cheer you on, obviously,” said Bill, grinning. “Charlie wanted to come too, but he couldn’t get off work. He said you were incredible against the Horntail.”

”This is really nice of you,” Harry mumbled. “For a moment, I thought- the Dursleys...”

”Hmm,” Mrs. Weasley said. She’d never liked the Dursley family. 

“Fancy giving us a tour, Harry?” Bill asked.

”Yea... okay,” Harry said, nodding.

The three of them began to walk, until the stopped at the Quidditch field.

”Oh,” Harry said. “Looks like Skull and Reborn are teaching again.”

”Who?” Bill asked. Harry nodded over to the yelling teacher’s.

”They’re the DADA assistant teacher’s. Though, Reborn’s a muggle.”

”Muggle!” Mrs. Weasley cried.

”Yeah, but don’t let that fool you. It’s like he can apparate everywhere. You won’t know he’s snuck up on you till- bam! You’re knocked to the floor with his foot on your back. The purple one is Skull. Skull and Reborn are dating,” Harry said. At that moment, Skull spotted the trio and waved, running over.

”Hello! Fancy seeing you around, Harry!” Skull said cheerfully. “Care to join?”

”Join what?” Bill asked curiously, looking towards the class.

”Ah, hello. I’m Skull. As for what, we’ll, I decided wizards and witches rely too much on their magic. After living with muggles and seeing their way, well, I decided that I needed to toughen up the kids here. Who’re you?” Skull said/asked.

”Bill Weasley. This is my Mother, we’re here to cheer on Harry,” Bill said, putting out a hand. Skull shook his hand with a grin.

”Hello,” he said. Molly, on the other hand, looked aghast.

”You’re barely eighteen!” she said. “Dumbledore let’s you teach?!”

”Ah,” Skull said, tapping his nose in embarrassment. “See-”

”He’s older than he looks, Mrs. Weasley,” Harry said.

”Right on!” Skull said, grinning again. “A curse, you see,” he added, after seeing Mrs. Molly’s dubious look. “Long story short, I got mixed up in some things I wasn’t supposed to, and got cursed along with a couple of others.”

”But he’s grateful for that now, of course,” a voice purred. “Aren’t you, Bellissimo?”

Skull gave a small squeak and turned red. Harry rolled his eyes. Bill looked interested.

”So you two really are dating then?” he asked.

”Indeed,” Reborn said, putting out a hand. “My name is Reborn.”

”Funny name,” Bill said. “Bill Weasley.”

”I think we should move on now!” Harry said loudly. “We’ve got loads to do.”

”Right you are then mate,” Bill said. “Let’s go.”

_**POV SWITCH TO SOME TIME**_ _**LATER (ONLY A FEW MINUTES)...**_

Skull answered his phone.

”Hello? You have reached the great Skull-sama. How can I help you?” he asked.

”Skull? This is Tsuna,” the voice said in the other side.

”Oh! Tsuna, how can I help you?” Skull asked cheerfully.

”...something bad is gonna happen to you tonight. Well, not necessarily _you_, but someone you know.”

”...you can tell even when I’m practically on the other side of the world?”

”...uh... yes...?”

”Well, tonight _is_ the last task... Right, thanks for the warning,” Skull said seriously. “I’ll keep my eye out.”

”You’re welcome. And, to be more specific, my intuition is screaming something about a trophy and teleportation or something...?”

”Hm... I may have an idea on what it may be talking about. Thanks for the heads up.”

”You’re welcome! Bye!”

”Bye!”

The line cut and Skull lowered the phone, thinking and frowning. The only trophy... well, important trophy, was the Triwizard Trophy. And teleportation... for an object to teleport, it had to be...

”A Portkey,” Skull murmured. “It has to be a portkey. Damn, Dumbledore needs to know.”

”Know what?” Reborn asked, coming into the room. Skull grabbed his hand and started to pull him somewhere hurriedly.

”No time!” Skull called. “Tsuna called, saying his intuition was going off about tonight! There’s a high possibility from what he’s saying that the Trophy could be a portkey! We have to tell Dumbledore!”

”Ah, I see,” Reborn murmured and raced after Skull when his hand was dropped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit short, but basically what I needed to capture in the chapter so... yea.


	20. The enemy [Part 1]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull and Reborn take things into their own hands...

“Shit, where the hell is Dumbledore when you need him?!” Skull hissed.

”And we can’t rely on the animals to help, since they’re ‘helping’ in the maze,” Reborn said.

”We’ve checked his office, the Champions room, the maze, infirmary, with the other judges, but he’s gone!” Skull cried. “There’s only an half and hour till the third task starts, and the Trophy is probably already a portkey by now!”

The two glanced at each other, their face grim.

”...we’re gonna have to go into that maze, aren’t we?” Skull asked.

”If you want to save the Potter brat from near certain doom, yes,” Reborn said.

”...come on, I know a way in,” Skull said and took off running again.

On the way, they checked to see if Dumbledore was in any of the places they passed, but in the end they ended up at the emergency exit without any luck. Skull took a breath.

”Right, we have five minutes, maybe less, till the Champions start. We have to get to the Portkey before any of them manage to get to the centre first. However-”

”-we’ll have to face any opponents that try to stop us, correct? Let’s go, Lackey, before we waste any more time,” Reborn said grimly. Skull nodded and waved his wand. The side of the hedge split open and the two slipped in quietly, without anyone noticing.

_ **SOME TIME LATER, WITH CEDRIC AND HARRY...** _

Harry had just gotten past the Sphinx, when things started to go haywire. The Triwizard Cup was just up ahead, but Cedric was racing towards it, faster than Harry could catch up. Then, out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw something climbing over the hedge. He paled.

”Cedric!” he roared. “On your left!”

Cedric dodged the giant spider just in time and shot a bolt of red light towards it. Harry joined in.

”Stupefy!” Harry yelled along with Cedric. Nothing happened. The spider jerked and flinched, but that was it. Harry’s heart sank into his stomach.

”Stupefy! Impedimenta! Stupefy!” Harry yelled. Distantly, he heard Cedric calling various other spells too. However, it was no good the spider was either too large or too magical for the spells to do anything but aggravate it.

Cedric and Harry were standing side by side now, until the spider lunged forward and grasped Harry’s leg and pulled him away. He heard Cedric yelling, could hear himself yelling. With the last remaining sense of reason in his hand he aimed his wand at the spider’s pincers and yelled, “Expelliarmus!”

It worked, thankfully. The spider dropped him. However, that also meant Harry fell twelve feet to the ground beneath him on his injured leg, which crumpled beneath him. Without pausing to think, (he distantly heard Reborn’s voice in his head saying ‘_most creatures, magical of non-magical, have a weak chink in their armour. Find it, and you’re__ good,’ _then he heard Skull. _‘Most creatures, if they have armour, have their underbelly exposed. Don’t ask why, they just do’_. Boy, was Harry glad he listened during their classes now), he aimed his wand and yelled “Stupefy!”

He heard Cedric yell the same thing too_. _The two spells combined, and did what single spells couldn’t. The spider fell sideways and into a nearby hedge, it’s legs strewing across the path.

”Harry!” he heard Cedric yell. “You all right? Did it fall on you?”

”No! Damn... am I glad I listened in Skull and Reborn’s classes now,” he muttered as Cedric drew closer. The older boy gave him a small, tired grin.

”Yea, me too,” he said. They both looked the Cup, standing not a meter away.

”...take it, then,” Harry said. “Go on, take it. You’re there, aren’t you?”

However, Cedric didn’t move. He just... stood there, looking at Harry, then at the Cup, and back to Harry again. Then he took a deep breath and shook his head.

”No, you take it. You should win. That’s twice you’ve saved my neck in here,” he said, stepping away from the Cup.

”That’s not how it works,” Harry said flatly. “The one who reaches the Cup first gets the points. That’s you. I’m telling you, Cedric, I’m not going to be winning any races here on this leg.”

Cedric shook his head, and moved even further away. Harry groaned. “Stop being noble, just take it. Then we can all get out of here.”

”You told me about the dragons,” he said hotly. “I would’ve failed the first task if you hadn’t told me.”

”I had help on that too,” Harry snapped. “You helped me with the egg, we’re square.”

”I had help on the egg in the first place,” Cedric said.

”Still square,” Harry said, testing his leg. It shook violently. He’d sprained his ankle when he’d landed.

”You should’ve gotten more points on the second task. You stayed behind to get all the hostages. I should’ve done that.”

”I was the only one who was thick enough to take that song seriously! Just take the damned Cup already, Cedric!”

”No.”

The two stared at each other. Both stubborn idiots. Harry sighed.

”...together, then,” he said.

”What?”

”We’ll take it at the same time. It’s still a Hogwarts victory. We’ll tie for it.”

”You... you sure?” Cedric asked.

”Yea. Yeah, we’ve helped each other out, haven’t we? We both got here. Let’s just take it together.

Cedric just stared at Harry for a second, then his face broke into a wide grin.

”You’re on. Come here.”

He grabbed Harry’s arm and helped him limp towards the Cup. They stood on either side of the Cup, a hand hovering near each handle.

”On three then,” Harry said. “One- two-”

However, just as he was about to say three, there was a loud- “DON’T!” and two figures lunged towards them. Too late. Harry and Cedric’s hand wrapped around the handles. However, in the split second it took the Portkey to activate, Skull and Reborn grasped the edge of the Cup.

Then the four were yanked off their feet and pulled to God knows where.

_ **POV SWITCH...** _

Skull felt his feet slam into the ground and he cursed. They were too late. Cedric and Harry had been faster than they’d expected.

”What- what’s going on?” Cedric asked.

”Someone enchanted the Cup,” Skull said darkly, helping Harry up. “Turned it into a Portkey. Reborn and I realised it, but couldn’t find Dumbledore anywhere we looked. We took matters into our own hands. Wands out, kids. Gun for you, Reborn.”

They did as told, and Reborn looked into the darkness.

”Someone’s coming,” he murmured.

Squinting, the other three looked into the dark. Whoever the person was, he was short, and wearing a hooded cloak pulled over his head to obscure his face. Several paces nearer, Skull saw that the thing in the person’s arms looked like a baby... or was merely a bundle of rags?

Suddenly, Harry collapsed onto his knees, holding his forehead. Skull cursed, and they all heard a voice say, “_Kill the spares._”

”Move!” Reborn roared, grabbing Harry and lunging behind a gravestone. Skull did the same with Cedric, and a flash of green light bypassed them narrowly.

The crack of a gunshot filled the air and there was a scream of pain and blood. The short figure stumbled back and his hood fell off. Skull’s eyes widened, and Harry and he both said at the same time- “You!”

Skull’s rage soared and purple flames flickered across his hands. Then Peter Pettigrew gave a wail and raised wand.

”Accio Potter!”

Harry helped as he was wrenched from Reborn, and a wand pressed against his throat. Skull felt like murder. He leapt up from his hiding spot, pushing Cedric down as the boy tried to do the same.

”You!” Skull yelled, taking a step forward and Peter flinched. “Pettigrew! I knew something was wrong with you! I knew it! A Gryffindor? Pah! You make me sick!”

”Who... is this... Wormtail...?” a voice hissed.

“I- I don’t know, My Lord,” Pettigrew whimpered. “We have never met!”

Skull gave a bark of laughter, his eyes glowing with anger. Flames flickered across his skin.

”Never met! Never met! Oh, I see why you wouldn’t recognise me, Pettigrew! I’ve changed, haven’t I?! Well, now do you remember me?! You goddamn son of a bitch?!”

Skull’s hair turned black, and his figure grew two centimetres shorter. His pale skin turned a little darker, but not so dark. His purple eyes grew wider, and his nose a little smaller. Pettigrew whimpered.

”You’re dead! You’re supposed to be dead!”

”I’m not so easy to kill, bastard. Rigel Artemis Black, however, is indeed dead. But I was reborn again. And I’m gonna fucking kill you!”

Pettigrew whimpered, pressing his wand into Harry’s throat and Skull halted, growling. “Always were a coward, Peter.”

Wormtail took a shuddering breath and pulled Harry back with him towards a tombstone, and Skull, Reborn and Cedric could do nothing but watch.


	21. The enemy [Part 2]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part two of the previous chapter.

“_Hurry!_” the voice hissed. “_Ignore the rest... they will not try anything with Potter caught..._”

Skull wished he could say otherwise, but it was true. Skull growled as Pettigrew tied Harry to a gravestone. Reborn came out of his hiding spot, and Skull glared at Cedric as the boy tried to do the same. The Hufflepuff’s lips tightened, and he came out anyway.

”Plan?” Skull murmured to Reborn.

”I could shoot,” Reborn suggested. “But the _bastardo _still has his wand pointed at the brat. I could shoot the wand, though.”

Pettigrew had started to chant something. Skull’s mind whirred with panic. What could he do? What was he supposed to do?! Skull didn’t flinch as Pettigrew cut his own arm, but took half a step forward when the rat held the knife to Harry’s arm. Reborn stopped him.

”Don’t,” Reborn said softly. “The knife it too close to him. If you attack now, you might do more harm than good.”

Skull hissed as Pettigrew turned his back to Harry, and took his chance then. Reborn fired a shot and Pettigrew’s wand shattered. Skull lunged forward, tackling Pettigrew to the ground and- the vial of blood flew out of the rat’s hand and into the cauldron. Skull swore, bringing a rock down on Pettigrew’s head and knocking him out before aiming a spell at the sparking cauldron.

”Reducto!” he yelled and the cauldron exploded. However... Skull realised with rising dread as the being the cauldron had contained stood up slowly, that only the cauldron has been destroyed not the thing inside.

Skull scrambled up and towards Harry as Voldemort looked at him coldly. Then at Reborn.

”...a muggle?” he asked softly. “A muggle dares to be in my presence?”

”Arrogant much?” Reborn asked, clicking his tongue. “Wizards. Worthless without their wands, dares to make fun of me. How funny.”

Voldemort’s nose flared and Reborn smirked. “While you may look ugly, I’ll be betting that your body works the same as anybody else. A well placed bullet will end your life.”

Voldemort, to his credit, chose to ignore Reborn and instead knelt down next to Pettigrew and tugged the one good arm out from under his body. Skull tensed. What was he planning...?

Voldemort touched a long, pale finger to the Dark Mark, and the Dark Lord smiled.

”How many will be brave enough to return when they feel it? And how many will be foolish enough to stay away?”

”Humans are rather foolish,” Reborn supplied, “So don’t mind me when I say I think none of them.”

”Silence, muggle,” Voldemort hissed.

”Whatever,” Reborn snorted, and fired his gun. However, someone appeared with a crack! and took the bullet instead. There was a yelp of pain and the cloaked figure crumpled to the ground. Reborn raised an eyebrow. “Unexpected.”

Soon, however, there were more and more pops as hooded figures appeared in the graveyard. Skull hissed as he backed towards Harry, wondering how he was supposed to defend himself as well as cut the boy loose at the same time.

Reborn was on guard, though he didn’t appear to be. He quietly moved in front of Cedric, his gun poised to shoot at any given moment.

Slowly, the hooded figures moved forward towards Voldemort, as if not believing what they were seeing. Then, one of them collapsed to his knees and kissed the hem of the newly risen Dark Lord’s robes, much to Reborn’s disgust.

”Master... Master...”

This seemed to prompt the other figures behind the figure into doing the same thing, and then moving away to form a silent circle.

Skull and Reborn exchanged wary looks. Reborn spoke loudly.

”Alright, you freaks, I think you put on enough of a show. Why don’t we get on with the fight already?” he asked and all eyes turned to him. He smirked, twirling his gun in the air.

”The Dark Lord has no need to answer _you_, muggle,” a man hissed. Reborn raised an eyebrow as Voldemort raised a hand airily.

”No... let the muggle speak. It shall be his last words anyway... and I am feeling generous,” he said.

”Well, here’s what I want to know,” Reborn said, “I already know you have a spy planted within Hogwarts-” here, there was a collective murmur, “-and I have good guess as to what you’re aiming for.”

”Well then?” Voldemort asked, “tell me, muggle. What am I aiming for, then?”

”World domination,” Reborn said confidently. “Either that, or immortality.”

”Well,” Voldemort said softly. “It appears even a muggle like you has a few brain cells to rub together.”

”Wasn’t hard, really,” Reborn snorted. “Why else would you bring yourself back from half-death and summon your followers? You’re following a very cliche plot here.”

Then, Reborn’s onyx eyes seemed to darken even further. “Immortality is not worth the trouble. If you are wise, you will take my word for it.”

”How would you know?” Voldemort sneered.

”Well, considering I was immortal for some time, I’d know better than you, at least,” Reborn snarked back. “And I’d love to stay and chat, but it seems Skull is done.”

There was a crack! as Skull least onto a Death Eater’s shoulder with Harry on his back and Pettigrew trailing behind and somersaulted behind Reborn. There were several cries of shock and Voldemort looked furious.

”Give me the Potter boy,” he hissed and Skull handed Harry to Cedric and whispered something in his ear. Cedric nodded, his face pale. Then Skull turned to Voldemort, shoulder to shoulder with Reborn. His eyes glinted purple as his hair turned spiky and purple.

Skull rolled his shoulders and shook his head, dumping Pettigrew on the ground.

”I don’t think so, you senile old man. You want him? You’re gonna have to get through us,” he said.

”Who do you think you are!?” a Death Eater cried in fury. “Filthy mudblood!”

”I’ll have you know I’m a half-blood,” Skull said coolly. “My Father was Alphard Black of the Black Household.”

There was a pause, and a cry of outrage. Skull rolled his eyes. “Oh, shut up for Hell’s sake. This really is getting annoying though. I think we should- CEDRIC NOW!”

Cedric, bless the boy, bolted instantly towards the Cup. There was a cry of rage from Voldemort- wands raised... and-! Cedric and Harry disappeared as jets of red and green light shot towards them. Skull instantly cast a shield charm, and the spells that got through- well, they were dodged easily. Skull raised his wand, kicking Pettigrew aside. Reborn raised his gun.

”I usually don’t like killing,” Skull said coldly. “However, I think I might make an exception for just this once.”

The next few minutes were a blur. Skull and Reborn moved in total harmony. Spells were shot, bullets fired and flashes of purple, yellow, green and various different lights flashed like lighting.

At one point, Skull was pretty sure he’d brushed hands with a Death Eater, and the person’s blood had propagated so much that they’d exploded within seconds. Reborn was faring quiet well too. The Death Eaters has underestimated him for being a muggle. It was their undoing. Reborn wasn’t called the worlds greatest hitman for nothing.

Everything seemed to be going well enough, until- “_Sectumsempra!_”

Skull took a harsh intake of breath, his hands flying to his stomach. Something warm trickled over his hands and he stumbled back from his opponent, who grinned and raised his wand again.

”Skull!” Reborn roared and a small hole appeared in the Death Eater’s head.

”Well,” Skull mumbled. “At least he was the last one. Too bad most of them apparated away. Peh, cowards. Including Voldemort.” Then he collapsed, his knees crumpling from his weight.

Reborn caught him and gently laid him on the ground, though his eyes were panicked.

”Skull,” he said in false calmness. “Why aren’t your Flames working? Shouldn’t they be working?”

Reborn’s hands started to glow yellow as the hitman pressed them to Skull’s abdomen. The stuntman grimaced.

”Yea, yea I think... it’s because the spell... used isn’t really a normal spell... to use it... you kinda... need to gather enough resentment... or something...? Don’t remember how Severus explained it... oh! This guy must have been Jordan Starkwood... the guy took a peek at Severus’s notes and saw the spell...”

Reborn looked frantic and Skull frowned in a daze. “Hmm? Renato? You okay?”

”It’s not working,” Reborn said desperately, “your Flames are propagating your blood, but the wound _fucking isn’t healing_!”

”Think...” Skull said weakly. “Think maybe we should call someone...? And... get Pettigrew too... yea? Want... want him to... suffer... for the betrayal... don’t... don’t like Pettigrew...”

”Hold on,” Reborn said. Strangely, his eyes felt hot. “Hold on. I’m calling Tsuna now. Don’t close your eyes. Don’t close your eyes. Keep talking. Keep talking.”

”I don’t wanna die...” Skull said quietly. “I never liked the quiet, you know, Ren? Never liked silence. That... was a reason why I... was so loud... if you guys got mad... then you’d shout... right? So... so...”

”That’s right,” Reborn encourages, sounding slightly hysterical. “Tsuna sent some people over. Keep talking, Bellissimo... keep talking, ok?”

In the distance, the two heard shouting. Huh, the Vongola were surprisingly quick... Well, Skull wasn’t complaining.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if you expected a better fight scene.


	22. Secrets and mafia...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Cedric’s arrival and when Skull wakes up.

There was a loud thud as both Harry and Cedric fell to the floor in heap. The music started instantly till Harry scrambled up with Cedric supporting him. People were cheering and yelling with glee, and Cedric bellowed: “SHUT UP!”

Silence ensued and Dumbledore blinked.

”Cedric, are you-”

”Professor!” Harry yelled. “The Cup- the Triwizard Cup- a portkey! Skull and Reborn are still stuck there! We have to go help!”

”Slow down,” Dumbledore said, his twinkling blue eyes taking a serious undertone. “What’s wrong?”

Harry and Cedric began to talk over each other, till Cedric slapped a hand over the younger boy’s mouth.

”The Cup was a portkey,” he said. “Reborn and Skull figures it out. They arrived just as Harry and I grabbed the Cup. They grabbed the Cup too before it took off. There was... someone there. Death Eaters! Right, this creepy bloke got revived or something-”

”Voldemort!” Harry cried, pushing Cedric’s hand away. “Voldemort rose!”

”Oh... that makes a lot of sense as to why the Death Eaters were there, then,”. Enrich mumbled, then continued speaking. “Skull... he... he... told me and Harry to go and get the portkey when he gave the signal. But Professor, Professor, Skull and Reborn are still there!”

Dumbledore looked grim as he picked up the Cup.

”Its not longer a portkey. Do you know where you were?”

”A graveyard,” Harry offered. “It... it had a gravestone marked as Tom Riddle.”

Dumbledore nodded.

”That’s all I needed to know. Harry, Cedric, please get to the infirmary. I’ll deal with this,” he said.

The two boys began to protest, until the Weasley’s, Hermione and Diggory’s hurried over, their faces worried. Bill helped Harry to walk, who protested loudly.

”But Skull and Reborn-”

”Will be fine,” Mrs. Weasley said firmly. “They’re professors, aren’t they?”

”But Reborn’s a muggle!” Cedric cried.

But the two families were having none of it, and took the boys to the infirmary. As they walked, Harry saw Moody out of the corner of his eye, and he whipped out his wand. Beside him, Cedric did the same.

”Stupefy!” they both cried. Moody had no time to react, and was knocked unconscious.

”Harry!”

”Cedric!”

”Blood hell mate! Why’d you attack Moody?” Ron cried. Harry shook his head.

”He’s not Moody.”

”What do you mean he’s not Moody?!” Mrs. Weasley cried.

”Reborn whispered that into our ears before we left,” Cedric said grimly. “He said to ‘check Moody’s trunk’, and that he ‘wasn’t who we think he is’.

Mr. Diggory pursed his lips and levitated Moody up.

”Infirmary,” he said shortly, and the two nodded meekly.

_ **WITH THE MAFIA AND A FAR BIT LATER...** _

Skull groaned as his eyes fluttered open. He blinked a few times to make sure he was seeing right.

”Reborn?” he asked weakly, and the hitman’s head jolted up.

”Skull,” he breathed in relief, getting up to pass the stuntman a drink. “How are you feeling?”

”Feel like shit,” Skull groaned.

”Well, that’s what happens when you get an injury that stops your Flames from healing them, you little brat,” Lal said as she woke up too.

”You really scared us, Kora,” Colonello said, frowning.

”Sorry, sorry,” Skull mumbled. “But you try dodging a _sectumsempra_, it’s impossible- that’s what it is. You can’t dodge wind.”

”We’re glad you’re alright, Skull,” Fon said gently. Skull nodded, looking around at his friends, then frowning at Lal.

”Hey... are you... bigger?” Skull asked, squinting his eyes.

”Mou,” Viper said. “She’s pregnant.”

There was silence, and then Skull shrieked loudly, and everyone winced.

”Since when?! And why wasn’t I told?!” he wailed.

Lal raised an eyebrow, and scoffed, patting her stomach.

”We told you a few months back. I think you were drunk though. I mean, probably. With all the weird messages you sent in response,” she said. Skull groaned, face-palming.

”I knew I shouldn’t have drunk all that fire-whiskey,” he said, and the winced, his hand twitching towards his torso. Everyone was on alert instantly.

”Whats wrong?” Verde asked, his eyes narrowing. “The operation went perfectly. I oversaw it myself. It shouldn’t hurt. I administered painkillers of my own invention.”

”It’s nothing, nothing,” Skull said, waving a hand, but still grimacing. “It just tingles a little.” He quickly changed the subject. “What about Pettigrew?”

Reborn pursed his lips, but didn’t push it.

”...the rat is in a holding cell. We’ve got eyes watching him 24/7,” he said.

”Ah... how long have I been out?”

”About an entire two day,” Fon informed him. Skull’s eyes widened.

”That long?” he asked. Skull huffed a breath.

”Wow. Uh... Ren, any word from Hogwarts?” he asked.

”Ren?” Colonello asked, his jaw dropping.

”An owl,” Reborn said, ignoring the soldier. “I told them we were fine.”

”That’s good,” Skull said, nodding. “When can we go back?”

”Not until you’re fully healed,” Verde snapped. “You’re not going anywhere till that injury is healed. And it’ll heal at the rate of a normal person without any Flames.”

Skull groaned loudly.

”But I’m fine!” he whined.

”You feel fine now,” Verde said irritably, “but wait till the painkillers wear off. You’ll be screaming in pain.”

Skull closed his mouth with an audible click. Verde nodded. “I thought so.”


	23. Return to Hogwarts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull and Reborn go back to Hogwarts.... along with several others... just in time for the end of year ceremony.

“Really, you guys, you didn’t have to come,” Skull mumbled.

”And trust Reborn to take care of you?” Verde scoffed. “I don’t think so.”

Reborn bristled, glaring at the green haired scientist.

”I can take care of him well enough, thank you,” he snapped.

”The only thing you can make is coffee and pasta,” Viper said flatly. “When you tried to change his bandages, you ended up blowing up shit when you saw his injuries. Then you started yelling about how you’d bring the Death Eater’s back to life and torture him. Then you went into a _very _detailed description of what you’d do to Voldemort.”

”The food doesn’t need to be cooked,” Reborn pointed out. “And Skull has healed rather well.”

”Still don’t trust you,” Lal said.

”Oh look!” Skull said before Reborn could start shooting. “We’re here!”

The ex-Arcobaleno all looked up at the giant, looking castle. None of them looked very impressed. Instead, they all clambered out of the carriage and started to point out various blind spots and possible sniping positions. Skull rolled his eyes as he made his way out, only for Verde to give a loud ‘hey!’

”What?!” Skull yelped.

”Wheelchair,” Colonello said.

”Oh for the sake of- I’m fine! Like Ren said, I’ve healed nicely!” Skull wailed.

”In our defence,” Fon said, “the last time you tried to walk unaided, you collapsed after taking six steps.”

”I’m fine now though!” Skull whined. “It’s been three days since then!”

”Really? Try walking now then,” Verde said sceptically. Skull nodded enthusiastically and stepped off the carriage carefully. He winced a little as he strained the stitches. While most of the wound had healed, the topmost layer of flesh still had a bit to go.

Skull took a deep breath and walked forward a few steps, until Verde shook his head.

”You’re too tense,” he said. “You’ll pop the stitches at that rate. Wheelchair.”

Skull slumped, mumbling something about ‘damn overprotective Family.’ However, when Fon unloaded the wheelchair from the back of the carriage, he didn’t protest too much as he sat down.

”Hey, Skull,” Colonello said as the carriage was driven away. “What are those horse things anyway?”

”Huh?” Skull asked, looking towards where Colonello was pointing. “Oh... those are thestrals. Only people who’ve seen death can see them.”

”Seen death? You mean, seen people die?” Lal asked, and Skull nodded.

”Mou.... how long have you been seeing them?” Viper asked and Skull shrugged, thinking.

”I think... for as long as I remember.”

Viper hesitated.

”Who...”

”Oh... dunno their name, really. Or their gender. They didn’t suffer much though. Looked relieved, in fact. Though, I bet I’d be pretty relieved too if I was her,” Skull said carelessly as Reborn wheeled the chair towards the entrance.

His friends faltered momentarily, and Skull caught their gazes. He waved a hand in the air.

”It’s nothing to worry about,” he said. “It’s all gone and done. Dad got me out of there. I was lucky. Some didn’t make it out. Just... just drop it. That chapter of my life is closed, okay?”

Though obviously reluctant, his family dropped the conversation and walked in silence. McGonagall was waiting for them by the door. She nodded.

”Skull. Reborn,” she said curtly, then eyed the extra entourage. “And I don’t believe you said anything about any extra people?”

”Ah, sorry. They insisted when they heard we were coming back,” Skull said sheepishly. “This is Lal, her fiancé Colonello, Verde, Fon, and Viper. Viper comes from a Wizarding family, but the rest are muggles.”

McGonagall nodded, and sighed, motioning them inside.

”The ceremony is just about to start. Come on.”

They trooped in and walked/rode in a wheelchair towards the Great Hall. McGonagall opened the door, stepping aside to let the (partially) injured in first, before coming in after them. All eyes turned to them and Harry and Cedric shot up from their seats.

”Professor!” they called and Skull waved cheerfully, grinning.

”Awww, Renato, I’m so feeling the love!” he said and Reborn nodded, patting Skull’s head.

”Sir down, Potter, Diggory,” McGonagall said. “You can talk afterwards.”

Dumbledore stood up to welcome Skull and Reborn back. He looked at the new people, but nodded in understanding when McGonagall whispered the explanation into his ear. The ex-Arcobaleno all sat down as Dumbledore literally drew a couple of chairs. Then the headmaster turned to the watching students and cleared his throat.

“It is now, once again, the end of the year,” he said. “There is very much I’d like to say to you all tonight, but for now, please join me in thanking Beauxbaton and Durmstrang for journeying all they way here for the Tournament.”

People began to clap along with Dumbledore. While Skull clapped enthusiastically, and Reborn politely, however, the rest of the ex-Arcobaleno didn’t move. Skull didn’t bother to try get them to clap. They didn’t know what’d happened anyway.

”And now,” Dumbledore said as the clapping died down. “A round of applause to the winners of the Tournament, Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory who tied in first place.”

Another loud applause, though this time the Hogwarts students clapped harder than ever. Dumbledore allowed himself a small smile before continuing in a far more somber note.

”I do not wish to ruin this good mood... however, I do not think, it would be wise to keep exactly what happened from you. When Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory disappeared from Hogwarts grounds... they were summoned to another place via portkey. There... they saw the rise of Lord Voldemort.”

There was a panicked whisper that ran throughout the entirety of the three schools. Some people looked at Dumbledore in disbelief. Some in horror. They talked themselves into silence as Dumbledore watched them calmly.

”Thankfully, due to Skull and Reborn’s quick thinking on several matters, the two students were brought back safely-” at this, Colonello snorted not so quietly, and Skull elbowed him to shit up. “-Magic does not wish for me to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so. It is my belief, however, that the truth is generally preferable to lies- however harsh it may be.

”Every guest in this Hall will be welcomed back here at any time, should they wish to come. I say to you all, once again, in the light of Lord Voldemort’s return, we are only as strong as we are united. As weak as we are divided. The Dark Lord’s... gist, for spreading rifts and enmity is great. And I hope, we can fight it, if only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. Thank you.”

There was a moment of silence, and then Reborn stood up, slamming his hand down onto the table, several people flinched.

”Bullshit,” he said flatly. “Utter bullshit. You’re scared? Of what? Those idiots crusading around in masks and flashing green light? You’re all a bunch of spineless cowards.”

”Professor Reborn-” McGonagall started to say in shock and he held up a hand. The transfiguration teacher looked at Skull for help, but the stuntman only shook his head. The people of the Wizarding community needed to get their heads and priorities straight.

”In my line of work, I’ve faced more people scarier than a noseless, bald man,” Reborn said. “And what- _Voldemort_?” Several people flinched again, and Reborn sneered. “A name is not something to be feared.

”People fear _me_, but only because they’ve truly got something to fear. Old Voldemort’s killed, what, seven people? For what? For immortality? Pah, I’ve killed hundreds- _thousands_ more in cold blood- for _money_. Fon could kill you with a flick of his wrist. Verde could experiment on you in a thousand different ways and make you wish you were dead. Lal and Colonello could have a bullet in your head before you could even open your mouth to beg for your life.

”So fucking get. A. Backbone. Or I’ll give you something to really be scared about,” Reborn said, finishing off with a dark glower and stalking out of the Hall.

Skull sighed and motioned at Fon to start wheeling his chair. He bowed his head towards Dumbledore, who looked rather shocked.

”My apologies,” Skull said. “But he only said what the lot of you needed to hear. The Wizarding community really are far too much of cowards. Good day. Come on guys.”

The remaining five all got up abruptly as one and walked out, Fon behind Skull’s chair. The stuntman sighed, leaning his chin against his palm. He hoped the wizards and witches of the world listened to Reborn’s words. Or... well, they were doomed. And he wasn’t just talking about Voldemort.


	24. Talks and revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stuff happens. Read to find out.

_<strike></strike>_As soon as the seven had left, Harry and Cedric has bolted after them. They looked around frantically as they exited, and Cedric pointed.

”Professor! Wait, Professor Skull!” Cedric yelled, taking off into a run. Harry followed quickly.

Skull and his company turned, and Skull quickly patted Fon’s arm.

”Ah, wait, wait. It looks like they want some answers,” he said as the boys caught up.

”Professor,” Cedric said, looking worried. “Are you alright? Did you get hurt?”

”Ah, it’s fine, it’s fine,” Skull said, waving a hand.

”If you can call an internal injury and several sliced ribs ‘fine’,” the green haired man snorted. Skull scowled at the man.

”Don’t be mean, Verde,” he said, then looked at the boys. “So, what did you guys want?”

”Well, I just, for one, wanted to say thank you,” Cedric said.

”Yea,” Harry agreed. “I uh... thanks for getting me out of there. It was... a pretty tight spot. And um, Reborn was right about Moody not being... well, Moody.”

”No worries,” Skull said. “I’ll pass your message along to Renato as well. Anything else?”

Cedric shook his head, but Harry nodded. “OK then, Harry, I have a feeling this may be private. So, congratulations on winning the tournament, Cedric. You too Harry. Cedric, go back to the feast. I’m sure you’re hungry. Harry, walk with us,” Skull instructed.

Cedric hurried away and the rest began their walk again. Harry hesitated, before talking.

”Um... at the graveyard... Wormtail- Pettigrew, I mean, he... recognised you...” he said. Skull nodded, humming softly.

”Yes, he did. We... were year mates back then.”

”...he said you were dead.”

Skull grimaced, and the only woman in the group patted his head. Harry backtracked quickly. “I mean, it’s none of my business-”

”Sirius is your godfather. Right?” Skull asked abruptly, and Harry stiffened.

”I...”

”Don’t worry. I know he’s innocent. Sirius and James... heh, they were pretty close.”

”...you knew them too?” Harry asked eagerly. “...but that doesn’t explain-”

”I’m Sirius’s cousin,” Skull sighed. “But I hope you can keep that a secret. Even from Sirius.”

Harry hesitated, but nodded. He had an inkling as to where this was going.

”I swear I won’t tell anyone.”

”Haha, that’s fine. You don’t have to swear anything. Ha... you see, my name is Rigel. Or, it was. My Father was Alphard Black. He gave me the name ‘Rigel Artemis Black’ when he found out I existed. Sirius and I... Well, we just clicked since our first meeting. James too. Remus was a nice guy. The whole werewolf thing... when I found out, I was shocked, but I didn’t mind. Anyway, I was sorted into Hufflepuff. And... during my last years at Hogwarts... a few... things happened.”

Harry noted how Skull didn’t mention anything about Pettigrew. He listened as Skull continued to speak. “Long story short, I was framed. By Pettigrew. No one knew at that time, of course. And no one knows it now. And I bloody well can’t do anything about it. I have a ‘kill-on-sight’ warrant. I’m only alive because I fakes my death.”

It was then Harry realised that Skull de Mort really was someone amazing. This person had been hunted, framed, been through despair and hope and was currently still growing strong. Harry swallowed thickly.

”Do you... do you really not want me to tell Sirius about... about you being alive...?”

”Positive,” Skull said firmly. “I’ll tell him myself when I’m ready. But... now isn’t exactly the best time.”

”Oh... ok,” Harry said. Then looked at him quickly. “Professor... um... what Reborn said... about him being a murderer...”

”True, all true,” the Asian man cut in. Harry looked at him, and the man smiled gently. “My name is Fon. It’s a pleasure to meet one of Skull’s students.”

”Ah... nice to meet you too,” Harry said. The man smiled and explained a little.

”Reborn and the rest of us... aren’t your typical ‘muggle’. We’re a little bit more... ah... _dangerous_, to say the least,” Fon said, and Skull snorted into his sleeve.

”Dangerous my ass,” he muttered. “The lot of you could take down an entire army, I bet. You guys are down right _lethal_.”

”I’m flattered, Skull, but that’s an exaggeration,” Fon said.

They’d arrived at the Lake, we’re the Giant Squid and Oodako were playing around happily. Leon and Reborn nodded as they walked up.

”Is that all you wanted to ask, Harry?” Skull asked, and Harry nodded slowly.

”Yeah... yeah, that’s all. Thank you for answering my questions,” Harry said.

”It was no trouble. Have a good day, Harry,” Skull said and Harry nodded. Giving a quick ‘thank you’ he hurried away from the strange group- his mind reeling at the new information handed over so willingly.

** _ POV SWITCH... _ **

“That boy...” Lal said, frowning as she stared at Harry’s retreating back. “His Flames Aren’t quite right...”

”I know,” Reborn said darkly. “It feels like someone’s forcefully attached a piece of their Flames to him. The kid’s an inactive Sky. Not very powerful though. But there’s a hint of something weird there. The thing on him doesn’t even feel like a Flame.”

”Speaking of Harry, he said thanks. And you were right about Moody,” Skull said. “Which begs the question: how’d you know it wasn’t Moody?”

”His Flame,” Reborn said. “The intruder I found had something blocking their Flames. Suppressing it. When we arrived at the graveyard and those... _Death Eaters _arrived, they gave off the same feeling. Adding to that, ‘Moody’s’ Flames felt a bit off. Fake. So I dug around for a bit, and realised that ‘Moody’ had no Flames. And if he did, then they were suppressed, much like the Death Eaters. I put two and two together and got four.”

”...and you didn’t bother mentioning this because...?” Skull asked, raising his eyebrows. Reborn raised his eyebrows right back at him.

”For chaos, of course,” everyone sighed when Reborn didn’t answer.

”Precisely,” Reborn said smugly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hm... a bit short... but meh. Pretty much all is answered in this chapter.. I think... if there’s still something you want answered, hit me in comments below, and I’ll try answer them in the next chapter!
> 
> Until then, ciaossu!


	25. The end (is just the beginning)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter of the official storyline.

Skull watched from the sidelines as Harry and his relatives exited the station and drove away. Then he watched as Hermione was gone too. He hummed, turning away and tugging at Reborn’s hand.

”Okay, let’s go,” he said. Reborn nodded, and the two began to walk away with linked hands. Some people did double takes as they saw two men holding hands. Others merely smiles and shook their heads in amusement. Some sneered in disgust. And others watched in envy.

”Neh, Renato, tomorrow, I have a show. Can you come watch?” Skull asked suddenly. “Please?”

”If that’s what you want,” Reborn said softly. Skull grinned happily.

”En, it’s what I want!”

_ **A FEW WEEKS LATER...** _

”Skull. Reborn. An owl came for you two... and for us,” Vioer said, holding up a letter. Skull narrowed his eyes and took the letter as everyone crowded around the cuddling stuntman and hitman. Skull cleared his throat and began to read.

”To Skull and his fellow Family,

”Good day, Skull. I hope all is well after this year. I thank you greatly for all you did while posing as a teacher’s assistant. Truly, the year could have been an utter disaster if not for your and Reborn’s quick thinking. I apologise for contacting you out of the blue. However, I feel as if this is of the utmost importance.

”As you know first hand, Lord Voldemort has risen. The ministry, however, refuses to acknowledge this, and have said that he is still dead. Because of this, I believe a few measures have to be taken.

”I have brought back the Order of the Phoenix. The Order is a group of wizards and witches who, back when Voldemort was at large, made it their priority to bring him to justice. And I, Albus Dumbledore, ask you, no, beg of you, to help us in our cause. We need all the help we can get, and I ask you to bring your friends along as well.

”Signed, Albus Dumbledore.”

Skull looked up at his friends grimly. They looked back. “Well... I’ve always wanted to beat Death Eater asses,” he said. “So I’m going.”

”I shall be going too,” Reborn said, sitting up straight. Lal sighed, rubbing her rather swollen stomach rather regretfully.

”I won’t be going. But Colonello will be,” she said. And glared at the other rain as he began to protest. Colonello shut up and nodded meekly.

”I would like to see how these.... wizards... do things,” Verde said. “It would be an... interesting experiment.”

”Getting a chance to mock those who made fun of me for being a squib?” Viper snorted. “I thought you’d never ask. No payment needed.

”Well,” Fon sighed wearily when they looked at him expectantly. “_Someone’s _got to keep the lot of you out of trouble.”

Skull nodded.

”Its decided then. On the back, it tells us how to get to the HQ. We’ll go tomorrow. First thing after breakfast.

_ **THE NEXT DAY...** _

Skull knocked on the door and a few seconds later, a voice growled, “Who is it?!”

”Uh... my Family and I were invited by Dumbledore. He asked for our help,” he said.

”...you Skull de Mort?”

”Yes.”

”...how can I trust you?”

”Well... I dunno,” Reborn asked sarcastically. “Couldn’t you use one of your goddamn spells to do something?”

”...a muggle?”

”Is it that obvious?” he snarked, and Fon coughed.

”Reborn. I think that’s enough.”

There was a scuffle behind the door, and the door opened slowly. Mad-Eye Moody And Arthur Weasley stood at the door. Moody growled, gesturing in and stepping aside.

”Better come in then,” he snapped. The six ex-Arcobaleno trooped in gracefully. Or, well, five trooped in gracefully, Viper floated in. Moody looked more than a little suspicious of them.

They were shown to the kitchen, where Dumbledore stood up to greet them.

”Ah, Skull, thank you for coming,” he said warmly. Skull nodded.

”No problem. As you know, this is Reborn. That’s Viper, Fon, Verde, and Colonello,” he said. Dumbledore nodded.

”Thank you all for coming. I am Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts,” he said. There were various murmurs from the others. Skull looked at the members of the Order who looked at them all warily. Skull saw Remus and Sirius looking at him oddly.

Remus was sniffing the air discreetly. Then his eyes widened, and Skull looked away. Well, things just got interesting.

The stuntman grinned widely at the Order.

”Hello~” he sang. “My name is Skull de Mort, and these people are my Family. And, just so you know, they’ve already got dibs on old Voldemort.” He laughed at their dumbfounded expressions and winked. “We hope to work well together with you. Be prepared though... we’ll put on a show you’ll never forget!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was the end of the official storyline! Look out for the sequel! 
> 
> And... should I do an extra... with Reborn and Skull... smexy times...?
> 
> Yes  
Or  
No?
> 
> TELL ME HOW GOOD OF A JOB I DID OF THIS STORY I THE COMMENTS BELOW! PRAISE ME! PRAISE ME!


	26. Extra: what you’ve all been waiting for

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I can’t believe I wrote this... kinda angsty at the start. Smexy times start afterwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first time writing something like this... so sorry if it doesn’t live up to your expectations...

Skull had scars. Many, many scars. Some were long and thin, others were short and rather raggedly cut. Others looked like cigarette burns, and yet more looked like surgical scars. All of them were done on purpose.

Reborn’s eyes flared yellow as Skull squirmed. The stuntman avoided his gaze, doing his best to cover up his torso with the quilt.

”...what happened?” Reborn asked quietly. Skull flapped a hand and laughed nervously.

”You know... crashes... I’m a stuntman... getting injured is pretty much in the job description,” Skull said. Reborn looked at him, and Skull wilted. “...I’m not very convincing, am I?”

Reborn nodded, and Skull slumped, burrowing into the blankets even further. “...before Dad found me,” Skull said slowly. “I was with my Mother. She... uh... smoked. A lot. And she was a bit...”

”She burnt you,” Reborn finished for him, and Skull nodded.

”Then... she... sold me to some people. These people were wizards. They... experimented. Wanted to see if... being in harm or a dangerous situation could promote a wizards’ magic. So... things... happened... and I was left with... these,” Skull said, waving his hand at his body. Reborn stared at him, and the stuntman cowered away as Reborn reached towards him.

Reborn carded his hand through Skull’s purple locks of hair slowly. As Skull slowly relaxed, Reborn brought the smaller man closer and hugged him to his chest. Skull clenched and unclenches his fists, unsure for a moment what to do, then he broken down into sobs and clenched Reborn’s immaculately pressed shirt with his fists. Reborn stroked Skull’s hair slowly.

”Shh... it’s okay,” Reborn murmured. “It’s alright now, Bellissimo. I will not allow anyone else to hurt you, la mia nuvola.”

The two stayed pressed together for a long while. Then, Skull looked up with puffy red eyes and kissed Reborn’s lips.

”...thank you,” he said quietly. Reborn didn’t answer and merely bent his head to steal another kiss. Skull smiled weakly and raised his arms, the quilt falling from his shoulders.

Skull wrapped his arms around Reborn’s neck and drew him in for a kiss. Reborn was startled momentarily as Skull took the initiative to introduce tongue. But then Reborn took control again. The kiss wasn’t anything heated, nor breath stealing. It was gentle, and clumsy (on Skull’s part).

Soon, Skull was lying on th ended, Reborn hovering over him. One of the hitman’s hands rubbed small circles on Skull’s hip, and the other cradled his head. Skull gave a breathy little whimper and tugged Reborn closer, clumsily undoing shirt buttons.

Reborn pulled away momentarily. Skull looked back up hesitantly.

”Are you sure?” Reborn asked quietly, and Skull nodded slowly.

”I’m sure. But uh...”

Reborn’s lips quirked up into a half smile.

”I’ll be gentle,” he promised. “We’ll go at your pace.”

Skull nodded and kissed Reborn again. Reborn took the initiative to slip Skull’s pants and underwear off, before quickly stripping himself. Not once did they break their kiss. Reborn traced Skull’s scars gently and the stuntman shivered, giving a small moan through the kiss. Reborn smirked and moved his mouth to Skull’s ear.

He bit the earlobe gently, licking and sucking. Skull gave a little shriek, and Reborn trailed kisses, bites and licks towards Skull’s neck. At a particular spot, Skull gave a loud moan, and snapped his mouth shut in embarrassment.

”Ahah,” Reborn said. “I want to hear you, Bellissimo.”

”Ren- Ah- aah!”

Reborn chuckled, as he tweaked and pinched Skull’s nipples. “Ren-AH-to~ not- not there-! Hya!”

Reborn hummed, and reaches down towards Skull’s privates. Skull’s brilliant purple eyes shot open, and his mouth gaped as Reborn handled the appendage expertly. Reborn blew hot air into Skull’s ear.

”Do you like that, Bellissimo? Hmm?” he murmured.

”Ah, ah! I- uh! Ah! Gunna... I’m gunna cum!” Skull cried, and Reborn raised an eyebrow.

”Already? How quick, is this your first time begin touched like this? How very fortunate for me~” he whispered hotly. Skull gave a wail and strings of white painted his stomach.

Skull was on cloud nine. He watched hazily as Reborn smirked and scooped up some of the sticky liquid and rubbed it between his fingers. Then he was caught up in another kiss, his body shook as Reborn continued to play his body like an instrument. Caught up I the intense pleasure, he almost didn’t notice it when a slick finger entered his behind. Almost.

His eyes snapped open and he gave a whine of discomfort. Reborn hushed him with a kiss.

”Shh, it’ll feel good soon.”

Skull soon adjusted to the single digit and Reborn began to pump it in and out slowly. Skull gave moan as the second finger entered and Reborn have him time to adjust, before making scissoring motions. Skull mewled and squirmed on the sheets, and Reborn took a deep breath to control his urges to just take the Cloud right then.

Suddenly, Skull gave a yowl, his eyes snapping open and his back arching off the bed and toes curling wonderfully. Reborn’s member twitched at the sight, dripping precum liberally. He moved his fingers in the same direction and Skull gave another beautiful reaction. “Found it,” Reborn said, entering the third finger coated in Skull’s cum.

Skull writhed and squirmed as Reborn stretched him open carefully.

”Ah-ha, Renato! Renato, Renato, please-!”

Reborn’s self control weakened slowly, until he pulled his fingers out quickly and coated his straining member with liberal amounts of Skull’s cum. He placed the head at Skull’s entrance and gave the smaller male a quick kiss.

”This may hurt a little,” he said quietly and pushed in slowly. Skull’s eyes widened. God... that was _much _bigger than three fingers. But it was oh _so much better._

Skulltrembled and shook as Reborn bottomed out. The hitman groaned and Skull squeezed so _nicely_ around him.

”Shit- you’re so pretty like this,” Reborn hissed. “So nice and warm around my cock.”

”Renato- Renato,” Skull whimpered, hugging Reborn closer. “Move, move, _please_!”

The two of them moaned together as Reborn’s control snapped and his hips thrust forward. The bed beneath them creaked and groaned as Reborn thrust in and out. Skull moaned and gave loud yells as Reborn hit that one spot that made him see stars.

”Renato! Renato! Ah! Hya! There! There!”

Reborn’s hips slammed forward again and again. And when Skull’s walls trembled around him deliciously, he knew the Cloud was close. “I-Ah! Gonna cum!” Skull shrieked.

Reborn hissed, kissing and sucking at Skull’s pale neck, leaving large, visible hickies as evidence of their love making. Because, goddamn it- Skull was _his_! Reborn gave one particularly good thrust and Skull came for a second time that night. A few minutes later, Reborn settled inside and came too with a groan.

The two collapsed on the bed, panting for breath. Then Reborn got up onto his elbows, smirking down at Skull’s disheveled form. He kissed Skull’s neck and murmured, “Ready for round two?”

It was a long, loud, sleepless night for the two of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... for those who actually read and liked ‘those years we died and lived’, I realised I had no idea where I was going with that, and have hence deleted it.


End file.
